Figure 2

Effects of AM1241, EA, AM1241 plus AM630, and EA plus AM630 on the mRNA level of POMC (A, B) and the protein level of β-endorphin (C, D, E) in inflamed skin tissues. A, summary data show the relative mRNA level of POMC in the skin tissues obtained from the vehicle control (CONT), CFA+vehicle of AM1241 (CFA), CFA+AM1241 (AM1241), and CFA+AM1241+AM630 (AM1241+AM630) groups. B, summary data show the relative mRNA level of POMC in the skin tissues obtained from the CFA+sham EA+vehicle of AM630 (sham EA), CFA+EA+vehicle of AM630 (EA), and CFA+EA+AM630 (EA+AM630) groups. C, a representative gel image showing the protein level of β-endorphin in the skin tissues obtained from 7 groups of rats. β-actin was used as a loading control. The protein band at 3.5 kDa corresponds to the β-endorphin protein. D-E, summary data show the % increase in the β-endorphin protein level by AM1241 and EA with and without AM630. Data are expressed as means ± SEM (n = 6 rats in each group). * P < 0.05, compared with the vehicle control group; # P < 0.05, compared with the CFA+vehicle of AM1241 group; & P < 0.05, compared with the CFA+AM1241 group; †P < 0.05, compared with the CFA+sham EA+vehicle of AM630 group; $ P < 0.05, compared with the CFA+EA+vehicle of AM630 group (One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test).