[Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of estrogen receptor protein and mRNA in rat brain]

In order to show some light on the possible molecular mechanism of the effects of acupuncture on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axial function, radioimmunoassay (RIA), RNA dot blot and Northern blot, monoclonal antibody immuno-histochemistry and computer image analysis technique were used to study the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the blood level of estradiol (E2) and the expression of estrogen receptor protein and mRNA in the ovariectomized rat brain. The results show that ovariectomy induced a decrease of blood E2 level and increase of the expression of estrogen receptor protein and mRNA in the brain. All these effects could be remarkably reversed by previous EA treatment of ovariectomized rats. EA in intact rat, however, had no effects on blood E2 and expression of estrogen receptor. The above results suggest that EA at some effective acupoints may activate the production of body estrogen, resulting in a long term increase or suppression at the level of gene(s) expression and consequent normalization on the dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.