Electroacupuncture reduces apoptotic index and inhibits p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in the hippocampus of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

• Published in: Neural regeneration research 2017-03, Vol.12 (3), p.409-416
• Main Authors: Lan, Xiao, Zhang, Xin, Zhou, Guo-Ping, Wu, Chun-Xiao, Li, Chun, Xu, Xiu-Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Care and treatment; Carotid arteries; Control; Electroacupuncture; Enzymes; Health aspects; Injuries; Ischemia; Kinases; Laboratory animals; MAPK信号通路; nerve regeneration; brain injury; electroacupuncture; cell apoptosis; cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury; neurological impairment score; morphological changes; immunohistochemical assay; p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases; phosphorylated p38; hippocampus; neural regeneration; p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶; Proteins; Signal transduction; Stroke; Surgery; Veins & arteries; 大鼠脑; 电针治疗; 细胞凋亡; 缺血/再灌注损伤; 缺血再灌注损伤; 脑缺氧
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.202944

Electroacupuncture attenuates cerebral hypoxia and neuronal apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.To further identify the involved mechanisms,we assumed that electroacupuncture used to treat cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was associated with the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway.We established rat models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury using the modified Zea-Longa＇s method.At 30 minutes before model establishment,p38 MAPK blocker SB20358 was injected into the left lateral ventricles.At 1.5 hours after model establishment,electroacupuncture was administered at acupoints of Chize（LU5）,Hegu（LI4）,Zusanli（ST36）,and Sanyinjiao（SP6） for 20 minutes in the affected side.Results showed that the combination of EA and SB20358 injection significantly decreased neurologic impairment scores,but no significant differences were determined among different interventional groups.Hematoxylin-eosin staining also showed reduced brain tissue injuries.Compared with the SB20358 group,the cells were regularly arranged,the structures were complete,and the number of viable neurons was higher in the SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase（Td T）-mediated d UTP nick-end labeling assay showed a decreased apoptotic index in each group,with a significant decrease in the SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group.Immunohistochemistry revealed reduced phosphorylated p38 expression at 3 days in the electroacupuncture group and SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group compared with the ischemia/reperfusion group.There was no significant difference in phosphorylated p38 expression between the ischemia/reperfusion group and SB20358 group.These findings confirmed that the electroacupuncture effects on mitigating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury are possibly associated with the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.A time period of 3 days could promote the repair of ischemic cerebral nerves.