Analysis of the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia using in vivo patch-clamp technique

• Project/Area Number: 26460711
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pain science
• Research Institution: Wakayama Medical University (2015-2016); Kansai University of Health Sciences (2014)
• Principal Investigator: Nishio Naoko 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 特別研究員 (40648359)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 谷口 亘 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (20453194) ; 中塚 映政 関西医療大学, 保健医療学部, 客員教授 (30380752)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000)
• Keywords: patch-clamp / 鍼刺激 / in vivo パッチクランプ / IPSC / 脊髄後角 / in vivoパッチクランプ法 / 鍼灸 / 疼痛抑制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Acupuncture is a kind of the effective treatments for a chronic pain. However, mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia have been poorly understood. In this study, we investigated effects of acupuncture onto the synaptic transmission of dorsal horn neurons by in vivo patch-clamp technique. Acupuncture did not affect the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in the neuropathic pain model rat. On the other hand, acupuncture increased the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs), while the amplitude of sIPSCs was not affected by acupuncture. These data suggest that acupuncture analgesia consist of enhancement the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters such as GABA and glycine.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] In vivo patch-clamp analysis of the antinociceptive actions of TRPA1 activation in the spinal dorsal horn (2015)
  • Author(s): Manabu Yamanaka
  • Journal Title: Molecular Pain Volume: 11 Pages: 20-20
  • DOI: 10.1186/s12990-015-0021-6
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] A role of CGRP on excitatory synaptic transmission in spinal substantia gelatinosa neurons (2014)
  • Author(s): Nishio N, Taniguchi W, Miyake Y, Kiyoyuki Y, Yamanaka M, Sonekatsu M, Abe T, Takiguchi N, Yoshida M, Nakatsuka T
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Functional Diagnosis of the Spinal Cord Volume: 35 Pages: 10-15
  • NAID: 40020382940
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] <b>TRPV1 channels induce Knee osteoarthritis pain: <i>in vivo</i> patch–clamp analysis</b> (2014)
  • Author(s): Taniguchi W, Nishio N, Yamanaka M, Kiyoyuki Y, Sonekatsu M, Yoshida M, Nakatsuka T
  • Journal Title: PAIN RESEARCH Volume: 29 Issue: 3 Pages: 171-179
  • DOI: 10.11154/pain.29.171
  • NAID: 130004692192
  • ISSN: 0915-8588, 2187-4697
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] Patch-clamp analysis of reactive oxygen species actions on excitatory synaptic transmission in spinal substantia gelatinosa neurons. (2016)
  • Author(s): Nishio N, Taniguchi W, Sonekatsu M, Yamanaka M, Tsutsui S, Nishi H, Yoshida M, Nakatsuka T
  • Organizer: 16th World Congress on Pain (IASP)
  • Place of Presentation: Yokohama
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-26
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Interferon-gamma activates NMDA receptors in the dorsal horn of spinal cord (2015)
  • Author(s): Sonekatsu M, Taniguchi W, Yamanaka M, Nishio N, Tsutsui S, Nishi H, Hashizume H, Nakatsuka T, Yoshida M.
  • Organizer: 45th Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience
  • Place of Presentation: Chicago
  • Year and Date: 2015-10-17
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] In vivo patch-clamp analysis of the pain mechanism by TRPA1 and TRPM8 activation on substantia gelatinosa neurons in the spinal cord (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamanaka M, Taniguchi W, Sonekatsu M, Nishio N, Abe T, Mine N, Miyazaki N, Nakatsuka T, Yoshida M
  • Organizer: 44th Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience
  • Place of Presentation: Washington, D.C.
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-15 – 2014-11-19
• [Presentation] 活性酸素種による脊髄後角TRPA1, TRPV1を介した興奮性シナプス伝達増強の作用機序 (2014)
  • Author(s): 西尾尚子, 谷口亘, 山中学, 曽根勝真弓, 阿部唯一, 峰巨, 筒井俊二, 橋爪洋, 山田宏, 中塚映政, 吉田宗人
  • Organizer: 第43回日本脊椎脊髄病学会学術集会
  • Place of Presentation: 京都
  • Year and Date: 2014-04-17 – 2014-04-19
• [Presentation] ドパミン視床下部脊髄路は第３の下行性疼痛抑制系の作用を形成する (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷口亘, 西尾尚子, 山中学, 曽根勝真弓, 阿部唯一, 峰巨, 筒井俊二, 橋爪洋, 山田宏 中塚映政, 吉田宗人
  • Organizer: 第43回日本脊椎脊髄病学会学術集会
  • Place of Presentation: 京都
  • Year and Date: 2014-04-17 – 2014-04-19
• [Book] Chaptor31. Spinal synaptic plasticity in chronic pain. Neuroprotection and Regeneration of the Spinal Cord (2014)
  • Author(s): Wataru Taniguchi, Terumasa Nakatsuka
  • Total Pages: 12
  • Publisher: Springer Japan
• [Book] 痛みのScience ＆Practice シリーズ６「痛み診療キーポイント」基礎編A.基礎知識12.痛みの研究手法-パッチクランプ法 (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷口亘, 中塚映政
  • Total Pages: 1
  • Publisher: 文光堂
• [Book] 痛みのScience ＆Practice シリーズ６「痛み診療キーポイント」基礎編C.脊髄 1.脊髄後角 (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷口亘, 中塚映政
  • Total Pages: 1
  • Publisher: 文光堂
• [Book] 痛みのScience ＆Practice シリーズ６「痛み診療キーポイント」基礎編D.脳 2.神経可塑性 (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷口亘, 中塚映政
  • Total Pages: 1
  • Publisher: 文光堂
• [Book] 痛みのScience ＆Practice シリーズ６「痛み診療キーポイント」基礎編D.脳 3.中枢性感作 (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷口亘, 中塚映政
  • Total Pages: 1
  • Publisher: 文光堂