Electroacupuncture improves behavioral recovery and increases SCF/c-kit expression in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting behavioral recovery after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. The SD rats received filament occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery for 2 h followed by reperfusion for 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. Rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group and EA group. After 2 h of the reperfusion, EA was given at bilateral "Hegu" point (LI 4) in the EA group. Neurobehavioral evaluation, the expression of stem cell factor (SCF), its receptor c-kit and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein and mRNA in the cortical ischemic region were measured. EA treatment can improve behavioral recovery after ischemia/reperfusion. Compared with the sham group, the positive cells and mRNA expression of SCF, c-kit, MMP-9, the protein expression of SCF were increased significantly in the model and EA groups (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, the positive cells, protein and mRNA expression of SCF were increased significantly in EA groups (P < 0.01). The positive cells and mRNA expression of c-kit were increased in EA groups beginning at 3 day and remained significantly high thereafter. The expression of MMP-9 positive cells and mRNA were deceased significantly in the 1 day subgroup in EA (P < 0.01), but increased significantly in the 3, 7 days subgroups (P < 0.01). We conclude that EA treatment up-regulates the positive cells and mRNA expression of SCF, c-kit and MMP-9 after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. EA may promote neurobehavioral recovery by increasing the protein and mRNA expression of SCF, c-kit and MMP-9 after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

• Authors: Taoli Lu, Yong Luo, Hongyi Sun, Wenyi Qin, Yang Li
• Journal: Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (Neurol Sci) Vol. 34 Issue 4 Pg. 487-95 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1590-3478 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 22526758 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• RNA, Messenger
• Stem Cell Factor
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Topics

• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Brain Ischemia (complications)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Electroacupuncture (methods)
• Gene Expression Regulation (physiology)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (genetics, metabolism)
• Mental Disorders (etiology, rehabilitation)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit (genetics, metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Reperfusion Injury (complications)
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• Stem Cell Factor (metabolism)
• Time Factors