Abstract: Objective: To observe the intervention effect of electro-acupuncture in the rats with neurogenic bladder caused by T10 spinal cord transection (SCT), and to clarify its mechanism. Methods: Forty-eight female SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (12 rats) and model group (36 rats). The T10 SCT models were induced by surgery,and the models were evaluated by Basso Beattie Bresnahan(BBB) score and urodynamics indexes. On the 15th day after surgery, the successful replication model rats were randomly divided into model control group (12 rats),electro-acupuncture group (12 rats) and electro-acupuncture control group (12 rats). The rats in electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture at "Dazhui"(DU14) and "Ciliao"(BL32); the rats in electro-acupuncture control group were treated with electro-acupuncture at the 1 cm acupuncture point next to the "Dazhui"(DU14) and "Ciliao"(BL32). The electro-acupuncture used dilatational wave (10 Hz/9 s, 50 Hz/5 s) for 20 min, and the intensity was suitable for regular contraction and twitching at the acupuncture point, once a day for a week in a row. After the last electro-acupuncture intervention, the urodynamic test was performed in the rats in each group, and the expression levels of Wnt-1 and β-catenin mRNA and protein in spinal cord tissue of the rats in various groups were detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence methods. Results: Compared with sham operation group, the bladder base pressures and maximum pressures of the rats in model control group, electro-acupuncture control group and electro-acupuncture group were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the bladder maximum capacities and compliance were decreased(P<0.01); the pressure of bladder leak point of the rats in model control group and electro-acupuncture control group were increased (P<0.01). Compared with model control group, the bladder base pressure, maximum pressure and leak point pressure of the rats in electro-acupuncture group were increased(P<0.01), and the bladder maximum capacity and compliance were increased (P<0.01).Compared with electro-acupuncture control group, the bladder basic pressure, maximum pressure and leak point pressure of the rats in electro-acupuncture group were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the bladder maximum capacity and compliance were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with sham operation group, the expression levels of Wnt-1 and β-catenin mRNA and proteins in spinal cord tissue of the rats in model control group, electro-acupuncture control group and electro-acupuncture group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with model control group, the expression levels of wnt-1 and β-catenin mRNA and proteins in spinal cord tissue of the rats in electro-acupuncture group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with electro-acupuncture control group, the expression levels of Wnt-1 and β-catenin mRNA and proteins in the spinal cord tissues of the rats in electro-acupuncture group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Conclusion: electro-acupuncture on "Dazhui" (DU14) and "Ciliao" (BL32) has a significant improvement effect on the urodynamics of the rats with neurogenic bladder after T10 SCT, and its mechanism is related to regulating the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

Key words: electro-acupuncture, spinal cord transection, neurogenic bladder, Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway