Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of Governor Vessel electroacupuncture in different time points on motor function and p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) after spinal cord injury. Methods A total of 180 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (one day, three days and seven days after modeling), and each group was divided into normal control group, normal electroacupuncture group, sham operation group, model group and Governor Vessel electroacupuncture group with 12 cases in each group. The spinal cord injury model was established with the modified Allen's method. The normal electroacupuncture group and the Governor Vessel electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture on Dazhui (DU14) and Mingmeng (DU04) acupoints. Basso-Beattic-Bresnahan (BBB) Scale was performed to assess the motor function of rats. The expression of p75NTR was detected with Western blotting. Results The BBB score of the model group and the Governor Vessel electroacupuncture group were significantly lower than that of the other three groups. The BBB score was significantly higher in the Governor Vessel electroacupuncture group than in the model group seven days after intervention (t=-4.510, P<0.001). The expression of p75NTR was siginificantly lower in the Governor Vessel electroacupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion The expression of p75NTR increased after spinal cord injury. Governor Vessel electroacupuncture could improve the motor function, and inhibit the p75NTR expression of damaged spinal cord tissues.

Key words: spinal cord injury, Governor Vessel, electroacupuncture, p75 neurotrophin receptor, apoptosis, rats