Abstract:

Neurogenic differentiation plays a key regulatory effect on the differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons in the brain. Thus, we assumed that electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) in newborn rats suffering fetal distress in uterus could regulate the expression of neurogenic differentiation. 3-day-old (day 3) newborn Sprague-Dawley rats suffering fetal distress in uterus for 20 minutes underwent electroacupuncture at Baihui with sparse and dense waves at the frequency of 2–10 Hz. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR results demonstrated that mRNA expression of neurogenic differentiation in the brain of newborn rats increased with prolonged time, and peaked on day 22, and the mRNA expression was similar between day 16 and day 35. These findings verified that electroacupuncture at Baihui could effectively promote mRNA expression of neurogenic differentiation in the brain of newborn rats suffering fetal distress in uterus.

Key words: nerve regeneration, brain injury, fetal distress in uterus, hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, Sprague-Dawley rats, electroacupuncture, neurogenic differentiation, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, nerve repair, Baihui (DU20) acupoint, non-acupoint, neural regeneration