Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2012, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (24): 1859-1865.

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Pre-ischemia electro-acupuncture potentiates the expression of Bcl-2 and transforming growth factor-beta 1 in rat brains

Ka Keung Yip1, Samuel CL Lo2, Kwok-fai So3, Dora MY Poon1, Mason CP Leung1   

  1. 1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
    2 Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
    3 Department of Anatomy, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
  • Received:2012-05-21 Revised:2012-07-06 Online:2012-08-25 Published:2012-08-25
  • Contact: Mason CP Leung, Assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China rsdpoon@polyu.edu.hk
  • About author:Ka Keung Yip☆, MPhil, Research Associate, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China

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Abstract:

The expression of the anti-apoptotic molecules Bcl-2 and transforming growth factor-beta 1 is known to confer protective effects on the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. The current study investigated the expression levels of Bcl-2 and transforming growth factor-beta 1 in response to multiple pre-ischemia electro-acupuncture at acupoints Zusanli (ST36) and Fengchi (GB20) stimulation. Rats were divided into five groups: uninjured, control, non-acupoint, GB20 and ST36. Rats in the non-acupoint, GB20 and ST36 groups received 30 minutes (3 times or 18 times) of electro-acupuncture stimulation before experimental cerebral ischemia was induced. Bcl-2 and transforming growth factor-beta 1 were found to be significantly increased in the ST36 groups with either 3 or 18 electro-acupuncture treatments (P < 0.05). The production was higher with 18 electro-acupuncture treatments in the ST36 groups (P < 0.05). In the GB20 groups, significant increase was only observed in transforming growth factor-beta 1 with 18 electro-acupuncture treatments (P < 0.05). No significant elevation of the level of transforming growth factor-beta 1 was observed in the non-acupoint groups. However, the production of Bcl-2 increased with 18 treatments in the non-acupoint groups (P < 0.05). The data suggest that multiple pre-ischemia electro-acupuncture at ST36 was effective in conferring neuroprotective effect on the brain by means of upregulation of Bcl-2 and transforming growth factor-beta 1 and the effect was increase with the number of treatment.

Key words: cerebral ischemia, stroke prevention, electro-acupuncture, transforming growth factor-beta 1, Bcl-2, acupoint