Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2016, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (4): 604-609.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.180745

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Electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) acupoint up-regulates mRNA expression of NeuroD molecules in the brains of newborn rats suffering in utero fetal distress

Lu Chen, Yan Liu, Qiao-mei Lin, Lan Xue, Wei Wang, Jian-wen Xu*   

  1. Neurobiology Research Center, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
  • Received:2016-03-07 Online:2016-04-30 Published:2016-04-30
  • Contact: Jian-wen Xu, M.D., fjxjw@126.com.
  • Supported by:

    This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China, No. 2015J01133; the Professor Academic Development Foundation of Fujian Medical University of China, No. JS11003.

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Abstract:

NeuroD plays a key regulatory effect on differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons in the brain. Thus, we assumed that
electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) acupoint in newborn rats exposed to in utero fetal distress would influence expression of NeuroD.
Electroacupuncture at Baihui was performed for 20 minutes on 3-day-old (Day 3) newborn Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to in utero fetal
distress; electroacupuncture parameters consisted of sparse and dense waves at a frequency of 2–10 Hz. Real-time fluorescent quantitative
PCR results demonstrated that mRNA expression of NeuroD, a molecule that indicates NeuroD, increased with prolonged time in brains
of newborn rats, and peaked on Day 22. The level of mRNA expression was similar between Day 16 and Day 35. These findings suggest that
electro acupuncture at Baihui acupoint could effectively increase mRNA expression of molecules involved in NeuroD in the brains of newborn
rats exposed to in utero fetal distress.

Key words: nerve regeneration, brain injury, in utero fetal distress, hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, electroacupuncture, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, NeuroD, nerve repair, Baihui (DU20) acupoint, non-acupoint, neural regeneration