Objective To observe the effect of transcutaneous otopoint electrostimulation(TCOES)on behavior and expression of hippocampal interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)expression in lithium-pilocarpine induced chronic spontaneous temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE)rats

so as to investigate its antiepileptic mechanism.Methods Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control

model and TCOES groups(n=12in each group).The epilepsy model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lithium chloride(127.2mg/kg)

scopolamine(1mg/kg

20 h after the 1st injection)and pilocarpine(10mg/kg

30 m in after scopolamine injection).Rats of the control group were treated by injection of normal saline(i.p.i.).Transcutaneous electrostimulation(1mA

20Hz)was applied to bilateral otopoints"Heart" "Lung" and "Subcortex"for 20 min

once daily for 6weeks except the weekends.The behavior reactions were observed by a video monitoring system.The expression of IL-1β and TNF-αproteins and genes in the hippocampus were determined by immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time PCR

separately.Results Behavioral observation showed that after TCOES intervention

the frequency of epilepsy attack was significantly decreased in comparison with pre-treatment(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence and real-time PCR showed that compared with the control group

the immunoactivity of IL-1βand TNF-αin both hippocampal CA 1and CA 3 regions and hippocampal IL-1β and TNF-α gene expression were obviously increased in the model group(P<0.05

P<0.01).Following TCOES

the increased hippocampal IL-1β and TNF-αand IL-1β mRNA and TNF-α mRNA expression levels were all suppressed(P<0.05

P<0.01).Conclusion TCOES intervention has an antiepileptogenic effect in temporal lobe epilepsy rats

which may be related to its effects in down-regulating expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β and TNF-α in the hippocampus.