Abstract: Objective To observe the changes of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in spinal tissues of rats with acute spinal cord injury after electroacupuncture (EA) treatment, and its association with inflammatory reaction and apoptosis after spinal cord injury. Methods The spinal cord injury of all the rats was induced by a 10 g × 2.5 cm impact with the reformative Allen equipment. The IL-1β and caspase-3 in spinal nerves of rats were detected with immunohistochemistry, while the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in spinal tissues with the Colourimetry, neuron apoptosis with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuredine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). Results At the end of EA therapy, the expression of IL-1β and caspase-3, the level of MDA, and the number of TUNEL positive cells in EA group were all significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01), and the activity of SOD was obviously higher (P<0.01). Conclusion The EA therapy can decrease the expression of IL-1β and caspase-3 in rats of acute spinal cord injury, and alleviate the inflammatory reaction and apoptosis after spinal cord injury.

Key words: electroacupuncture, acupuncture, spinal cord injury, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid peroxidation, apoptosis, rats