[Comparative study on the expression and interaction of oncogene c-fos/c-jun and three opioid genes induced by low...

The present work was designed (a) to study comparatively the effect of 2Hz and 100Hz electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of oncogene c-fos/c-jun and three opioid (preproenkephalin-PPE; preprodynorphin-PPD; proopiomelanocortin-POMC) genes in the rat brain; (b) to clarify the role of Fos/Jun (AP-1) on opioid genes expression induced by EA stimulation through specific blockade of EA-induced Fos/Jun expression using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) of c-fos/c-jun. The results were: (a) 2Hz and 100Hz EA induced differential Fos expression in different brain areas; (b) EA of both frequencies accelerated PPE gene transcription, but 2Hz EA was more effective than 100Hz EA; (c) PPD expression was accelerated by 100Hz EA, but not by 2Hz EA; (d) the blockade of Fos/Jun expression by c-fos/c-jun antisense ODNs prevented EA from accelerating PPD but not PPE mRNA expression.