Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2022, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (7): 1545-1555.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.330617

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Electroacupuncture treatment improves motor function and neurological outcomes after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Si-Si Li1, Xu-Yun Hua2, Mou-Xiong Zheng2, Jia-Jia Wu3, Zhen-Zhen Ma1, Xiang-Xin Xing1, Jie Ma1, Chun-Lei Shan1, 3, 4, Jian-Guang Xu1, 4, *   

  1. 1School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; 2Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; 3Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; 4Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
  • Online:2022-07-15 Published:2022-01-17
  • Contact: Jian-Guang Xu, PhD, xjg@shutcm.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China, No. 2018YFC2001600 (to JGX), the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81902301 (to JJW), Budgetary Project of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, No. 2019LK024 (to JJW), Intelligent Medical Program of Shanghai (Municipal) Health Commission of China, No. 2018ZHYL0216 (to CLS), Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Project of Shanghai Shen Kang Hospital Development Center of China, No. SHDC12018126 (to CLS), Accelerated the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Three-Year Action Plan Project (of Shanghai Health Commission) of China, Nos. ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2001-06 (to JGX and CLS) and ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2004-05 (to JGX and CLS).

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Abstract: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been widely used for functional restoration after stroke. However, its role in post-stroke rehabilitation and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we applied EA to the Zusanli (ST36) and Quchi (LI11) acupoints in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion. We found that EA effectively increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tyrosine kinase B, synapsin-1, postsynaptic dense protein 95, and microtubule-associated protein 2 in the ischemic penumbra of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion. Moreover, EA greatly reduced the expression of myelin-related inhibitors Nogo-A and NgR in the ischemic penumbra. Tyrosine kinase B inhibitor ANA-12 weakened the therapeutic effects of EA. These findings suggest that EA can improve neurological function after middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion, possibly through regulating the activity of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase B signal pathway. All procedures and experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China (approval No. PZSHUTCM200110002) on January 10, 2020.

Key words: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, dendritic, electroacupuncture, ischemia/reperfusion, motor function, neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A, neurological outcomes, Nogo receptor, synapse, tyrosine kinase B