Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2017, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (12): 2000-2006.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.221156

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Electroacupuncture improves neurovascular unit reconstruction by promoting collateral circulation and angiogenesis

Lei Shi1, Hong-mei Cao2, Ying Li3, Shi-xin Xu1, Yan Zhang1, Yang Zhang1, Zhe-feng Jin1   

  1. 1 First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
    2 National Engineering Research Center for Beijing Biochip Technology, Beijing, China
    3 Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China
  • Received:2017-10-18 Online:2017-12-15 Published:2017-12-15
  • Contact: Zhe-feng Jin,jzfchmjxt@163.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81303021.

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Abstract:

Acupuncture at Shuigou (GV26) shows good clinical efficacy for treating stroke, but its mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, a cerebral infarction model of ischemia/reperfusion injury received electroacupuncture at GV26 (15 Hz and 1 mA, continuous wave [biphasic pulses], for 5 minutes). Electroacupuncture effectively promoted regional cerebral blood flow on the infarct and non-infarct sides, increased infarct lesions, lectin, and number of blood vessels, upregulated von Willebrand factor and cell proliferation marker Ki67 expression, and diminished neurological severity score. These findings confirm that electroacupuncture at GV26 promotes establishment of collateral circulation and angiogenesis, and improves neurological function.

Key words: nerve regeneration, ischemic cerebral infarction, ischemia/reperfusion, electroacupuncture, Shuigou (GV26), collateral circulation, angiogenesis, neural regeneration