Electroacupunture contributes to recovery of neurological deficits in experimental stroke by activating astrocytes

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zhao, Haijun^a | Lu, Yan^b | Wang, Yuan^a | Han, Xiaochun^c | Zhang, Yanan^d | Han, Bingbing^d | Wang, Tong^e | Li, Yan^{d; f} | Wang, Shijun^{d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, China | [b] Department of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, China | [c] Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, China | [d] Department of Pathology, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, China | [e] Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing, College of Nursing Care, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing District, Jinan, China | [f] Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Shijun Wang, MD and PhD, No. 4655 Daxue Road, Changqing District, Jinan 250355, Shandong, China. Tel.: +86 0531 8962 8750; Fax: +86 0531 8962 8077; E-mail: pathology@163.com.

Abstract: Background:Neurological deficits is one of the most prevalent clinical manifestation after stroke. The effects of astrocytes activated by electroacupunture (EA) after stroke on the neurological recovery in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats was not clear and definite. Objective:Our previous study showed that treatment with EA for 7 days contributed to the activation of astrocytes in MCAO rats. The purposes of this study were to 1) confirm the effects of EA for 14 days on activation of astrocytes in MCAO rats, and 2) test the relationships between activation of astrocytes and neurological functional recovery induced by EA in MCAO rats. Methods:All rats were randomly divided into five groups: naïve control group, sham control control group, MCAO, MCAO/EAn, MCAO/EAd (n = 8, for each group). Rats in MCAO/EAn group received EA treatment at acupoints of Neiguan (PC06). MCAO/EAd group received EA stimulus at acupoints of Diji (SP08). The primary indicators were locomotor recovery, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot. Results:The neurological deficit and histopathological improvements and activation of astrocytes were observed after EA treatment at acupoints PC06. Parametric correlation analyses revealed a cubic correlation relationship between activation of astrocytes and neurological recovery of MCAO rats treated with EA. Conclusion:EA treatment at the acupoints of Neiguan involved in the regulation of activation of astrocytes, which our data suggested has a cubic correlation relationship with the neurological recovery of MCAO rats.

Keywords: EA treatment, astrocytes, functional recovery, MCAO rats

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-170722

Journal: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 301-312, 2018