[Effect of partial ganglionectomy and acupuncture on culturing spared DRG in vitro]

To explore the effect of partial dorsal root rhizotomy and Acup on culturing dorsal root ganglion(DRG) in vitro.

Ten adult cats were divided into 2 groups: normal control group; Acup spared DRG 7 d group, in which bilateral L1-L5, L7-S2 DRG were removed; and L6DRG were spared; then unilaterally two sets of acupoints [Zusanlily (St. 36) and Xuanzhong (G. B. 39): Futu (St. 32) and Sanyinjiao (Sp. 6) located in the distribution area of spinal nerve L6] were electro-stimulated alternatively 30 min everyday by electro-needling. Five cats were used in every group. Bilateral L6 DRGs of every group were taken out on the condition of asepsis and were cultured respectively in vitro. Cultures were terminated after day 7. Then the cultured cells were stained under the same condition using specific NSE (1 : 200) antibody, a neuron-specific marker, by the immunohistochemistry ABC method. The neurite length was measured by micro-measured ruler in upside-down light microscope on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th day.

Immunocytochemical staining revealed that over 95% cells were NSE positive cells which were the typical neuron of DRG in vitro; on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th day, the average neurite length of the normal group was shorter than that of the spared DRG group(P < 0. 05), and the spared DRG group's was shorter than the Acup group's at each time stage (P < 0.05).

These results indicated that DRG had plasticity and acupuncture probably promoted the plasticity, which were probably in close relation with the spinal plasticity.