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. 2017 Apr 25;42(2):125-30.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture Intervention on Expressions of Nerve Growth Factor and Growth Arrest-specific Protein 7 in Ventral Posterolateral Thalamic Nucleus in Cerebral Ischemia Rats]

[Article in Chinese]
Jian Ding  1 , Feng Wu  1 , Hua-Chun Miao  1 , Rui Huang  1 , Ke-Ren Xiong  2
Affiliations
  • PMID: 29071959

[Effect of Electroacupuncture Intervention on Expressions of Nerve Growth Factor and Growth Arrest-specific Protein 7 in Ventral Posterolateral Thalamic Nucleus in Cerebral Ischemia Rats]

[Article in Chinese]
Jian Ding et al. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. .

Abstract

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on expressions of nerve growth factor(NGF) and growth arrest-specific protein 7(Gas 7) in the right ventral posterolateral nucleus(VPL) in the focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) rats, so as to explore its possible mechanism underlying improvement of secondary injury of FCI.

Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, sham operation group, model group and electroacupuncture (EA) group (n=12 in each group) by random number table.The FCI model was made by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCAO) with thread embolus.One week after MCAO, EA(2 Hz,2 V) was performed on "Baihui"(GV 20) and left "Zusanli"(ST 36) for 30 min,once daily for successively 21 days.The expressions of NGF and Gas 7 in the right VPL were detected by immunohistochemistry (n=6 in each group) and Western blot (n=6 in each group), respectively;meanwhile Nissl staining was conducted to show VPL neurons.

Results: Nissl staining showed that the structure of right VPL was clear and complete,and the nuclei were centered and clear in the normal group and sham operation group;the VPL neurons were deeply stained, and the nuclei were pyknotic in the model group;the morphology of neurons in the EA group was similar to that of the normal group. The results of immunohistochemistry and Western blot were consistent. Expressions of NGF and Gas 7 proteins in the right VPL were not of significant differences between the sham operation group and the normal group (P>0.05). Compared with the normal group, the expressions of NGF and Gas 7 proteins in the VPL of the ischemic side were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.05). After treatment,the expression levels of NGF and Gas 7 proteins were further up-regulated in the EA group in comparison with the model group(P<0.05).

Conclusions: The enhanced expressions of NGF and Gas 7 in the ischemic VPL of FCI rats may be involved in the neuroprotection and repairing; EA can significantly up-regulate the expressions of NGF and Gas 7 in VPL of the ischemic side, which may contribute to its effect in improving secondary thalamic impairment of FCI.

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