Effects Of Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation Of Auricular Point On Seizure Frequency And The Expressions Of Hippocampal Cytokines In Chronic Refractory Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Rats

Objective To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical stimulation of auricular point(TEAS)on seizure frequency and the expressions of hippocampal IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-6 and IL-10 in chronic refractory temporal lobe epilepsy rats,and to study its potential mechanism of action.Methods Chronic refractory temporal lobe epilepsy model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lithium-pilocarpine.Successful model rats were randomly divided into model group,treatment group(n=10 in each group).The treatment group rats were given TEAS for 6 weeks.The expression levels of IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-6 and IL-10 mRNA and proteins were detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence in the hippocampal region.Results Behavioral observation showed that after TEAS intervention,the frequency of epilepsy attack was significantly decreased in comparison with pre-treatment.Compared with normal group,IL-1β、TNF-α mRNA expression levels in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 region in model group were obviously increased(P<0.01).The immunoreactivity of IL-1β、TNF-α in hippocampus in model group was increased(P<0.05);Compared with model group,the immunoreactivity of IL-1β、TNF-α in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 region and IL-6 in hippocampal CA1 region in TEAS group was obviously decreased(P<0.05).Compared with normal and model groups,IL-10 mRNA expression levels in hippocampal CA1 region in TEAS group was increased(P<0.05).The immunoreactivity of IL-10 in hippocampal CA1 region in TEAS group was increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of auricular point can exert anti-epileptic effects in the temporal lobe epilepsy model rats induced by lithiumpilocarpine,which may be related with the down-regulation of pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-6 and the up-regulation of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 expression in hippocampus.