C-fos expressions in the nucleus of the solitary tract followingelectroacupuncture at orofacial acupoints and gastric distension By Jianhua LiuBy Jianhua Liu1 1Key wordsn nc-fosc-fosn nnucleus of the solitary tract (NTS)nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS)n nmedial subnucleus of the solitary tract medial subnucleus of the solitary tract (mNTS)(mNTS)n nelectroacupuncture (EA)electroacupuncture (EA)n norofacial acupoints orofacial acupoints n ngastric distensiongastric distensionn nconvergenceconvergence2 2Contentn nIntroductionIntroductionn nMethodsMethodsn nResultsResultsn nDiscussionDiscussionn nConclusionsConclusionsn nAcknowledgementsAcknowledgements3 3IntroductionOrofacial acupointsOrofacial acupointsStomachStomachNTSNTSAcupunctureAcupuncturetreating treating corresponding organic corresponding organic diseasesdiseasesan important primary an important primary nervous center in nervous center in modulating visceralmodulating visceraltreating local treating local orofacial diseasesorofacial diseases4 4Methodsn nControl groupControl groupn nEA at Sibai acupoints groupEA at Sibai acupoints groupn nEA at Yangbai acupoints group EA at Yangbai acupoints group n nEA at Jiache acupoints group EA at Jiache acupoints group n nGastric distension groupGastric distension groupAnimalsTechniqueimmunohistochemistryimmunohistochemistry5 5Fig.1. Location of the Sibai,Yangbai and Jiache Fig.1. Location of the Sibai,Yangbai and Jiache acupoints in orofacial areasacupoints in orofacial areas6 6Resultsn nC-fosC-fos expression in the NTS expression in the NTSn nEA at orofacial acupoints induced significantly c-EA at orofacial acupoints induced significantly c-fos expression in the mNTSfos expression in the mNTSn nthe portion of the portion of C-fosC-fos expression in the NTS expression in the NTS following EA at orofacial acupoints and gastric following EA at orofacial acupoints and gastric distension is overlappeddistension is overlapped7 7Fig.2. draft of the NTS in the medull aoblongataFig.2. draft of the NTS in the medull aoblongata (at the level of the area postrema ) (at the level of the area postrema ) 8 8 Fig.3. Photomicrographs of the NTS at the level of the area postrema Fig.3. Photomicrographs of the NTS at the level of the area postrema AP=area postrema, NTS=nucleus of the solitary tractAP=area postrema, NTS=nucleus of the solitary tract, CC=central , CC=central canal, DMV=dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, ts=tractus canal, DMV=dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, ts=tractus solitarius, c=commissural subnucleus of the NTS, solitarius, c=commissural subnucleus of the NTS, m=medial m=medial subnucleus of the NTS,subnucleus of the NTS, im=intermediate subnucleus of the NTS, im=intermediate subnucleus of the NTS, dm=dorsomedial subnucleus of the NTS, vl=ventrolateral subnucleus dm=dorsomedial subnucleus of the NTS, vl=ventrolateral subnucleus of the NTS. Scale bars100 mm.of the NTS. Scale bars100 mm.9 9 Fig.4. Fig.4. Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the level of the APat the level of the AP ( EA at Sibai acupoints group)( EA at Sibai acupoints group)1010 Fig.5. Fig.5. Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the level of the APNTS at the level of the AP ( EA at Yangbai acupoints group)( EA at Yangbai acupoints group)1111 Fig.6.Fig.6. Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the level of the APat the level of the AP ( EA at Jiache acupoints group)( EA at Jiache acupoints group)1212 Fig.7. Fig.7. Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the level of the APlevel of the AP ( gastric distension group)( gastric distension group)1313 Fig.8. Fig.8. Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS Photomicrographs of C-fos expression in the NTS at the level of the APat the level of the AP ( control group)( control group)1414Discussionn nPrevious studies have shown that orofacial noxious Previous studies have shown that orofacial noxious information induced by formalin and electrical information induced by formalin and electrical stimulation resulted in the c-fos expression in the stimulation resulted in the c-fos expression in the medulla oblongata. medulla oblongata. However, the particular However, the particular distribution of c-fos in the NTS has not been distribution of c-fos in the NTS has not been further investigated.further investigated.1515n nIn the present study, we found that EA at the In the present study, we found that EA at the orofacial acupoints, which were located in the areas orofacial acupoints, which were located in the areas of different branches of trigeminal nerves, all of different branches of trigeminal nerves, all induced the induced the c-fos c-fos expression in the mNTS, which expression in the mNTS, which may be caused by two different pathway. The may be caused by two different pathway. The afferent nerves of branches of the trigeminal nerves afferent nerves of branches of the trigeminal nerves can project directly and indirectly into the NTS, can project directly and indirectly into the NTS, therefore, therefore, the fos-like neurons in the NTS may be the fos-like neurons in the NTS may be reactive to the afferent sensory information from reactive to the afferent sensory information from different orofacial areas.different orofacial areas. 1616n nFurthermore, the distribution of c-fos expression in Furthermore, the distribution of c-fos expression in the mNTS after gastric distension was similar to the mNTS after gastric distension was similar to that induced by EA stimulation, which suggested that induced by EA stimulation, which suggested that some specific neurons in the NTS may be that some specific neurons in the NTS may be simultaneously reactive to the simultaneously reactive to the information from the information from the orofacial areas and the stomach and orofacial areas and the stomach and this may be this may be one of the central pathways in the modulation of EA one of the central pathways in the modulation of EA at orafacial acupoints on the gastric functions.at orafacial acupoints on the gastric functions.1717Conclusionsn nSensory afferent information from the orofacial Sensory afferent information from the orofacial areas and the viscus (stomach) may be converged areas and the viscus (stomach) may be converged in the mNTSin the mNTSn nThe convergence my be involved in the modulation The convergence my be involved in the modulation of EA at the orofacial acupoints on the stomachof EA at the orofacial acupoints on the stomach1818Acknowledgementsn nThis work was supported by the National This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No Natural Science Foundation of China (No 30200356)30200356)n nThank Mr Li jiangshan for his excellent Thank Mr Li jiangshan for his excellent technical assistance.technical assistance.1919Thanks for Your Attention2020