Lin Yaping, Liu Qin, Chen Chutao, Chen Wen, Xiao Heng, Yang Qianyun, Tian Haomei
School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China.
Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2017 Apr 28;42(4):380-388. doi: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2017.04.003.
To observe effect of acupuncture combined with hypothermia therapy on MAPK/ERK pathway and apoptosis related factorsin rats suffered cerebral ischemia reperfusion and to explore underlying mechanisms. Methods: Middle cerebral artery ischemia model were established.Ninety SD rats were randomly assigned into a blank group, a control group, a model group, an acupuncture group, a mild hypothermia group, and an acupuncture with hypothermia group. After 72 h treatment, nerve function defect scores were observed, and infarction area percent was detected by 2, 3, 5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining; expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were examined by immunohistochemistry; apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL assay; and expression levels of phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-MEK2) and phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in the rats' hippocampus ischemic side were determined by Western blot. Results: In the rats of the model group, the neural function defect scores, the infarction area percent, the expression level of Bax, and apoptotic cells increased, while the level of Bcl-2 decreased significantly. The level of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 increased obviously compared with the blank and control groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). After treatment with acupuncture and hypothermia, the neural function defect scores, infarction area percent, and the level of Bax, apoptotic cells and the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 were significantly decreased, while the level of Bcl-2 in the treatment group was significantly elevated (P<0.05 or P<0.01) compared with the model group. Compared with the acupuncture group or the hypothermia group, the neural function defect scores and the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 in the acupuncture combined with hypothermia group were significantly reduced (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion: Acupuncture and hypothermia therapy can improve cerebral function, and reduce the cerebral injury through down-regulation of Bax level, and up-regulation of Bcl-2 level, which is related to reducing the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2. The therapeutic effects on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury for combination of acupuncture with hypothermia are better than those with single application of acupuncture or hypothermia.
观察针刺联合亚低温治疗对脑缺血再灌注大鼠丝裂原活化蛋白激酶/细胞外信号调节激酶（MAPK/ERK）通路及凋亡相关因子的影响，并探讨其潜在机制。方法：建立大脑中动脉缺血模型。将90只SD大鼠随机分为空白组、对照组、模型组、针刺组、亚低温组和针刺联合亚低温组。治疗72 h后，观察神经功能缺损评分，用2,3,5-氯化三苯基四氮唑（TTC）染色检测梗死面积百分比；采用免疫组织化学法检测Bcl-2和Bax的表达；用TUNEL法检测凋亡细胞；采用蛋白质印迹法检测大鼠海马缺血侧磷酸化丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（p-MEK2）和磷酸化细胞外信号调节激酶1/2（p-ERK1/2）的表达水平。结果：模型组大鼠神经功能缺损评分、梗死面积百分比、Bax表达水平及凋亡细胞增多，而Bcl-2水平显著降低。与空白组和对照组相比，p-MEK2和p-ERK1/2水平明显升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）。针刺和亚低温治疗后，与模型组相比，治疗组神经功能缺损评分、梗死面积百分比、Bax水平、凋亡细胞及p-MEK2和p-ERK1/2水平均显著降低，而Bcl-2水平显著升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）。与针刺组或亚低温组相比，针刺联合亚低温组神经功能缺损评分及p-MEK2和p-ERK1/2水平显著降低（P<0.05或P<0.01）。结论：针刺和亚低温治疗可改善脑功能，通过下调Bax水平、上调Bcl-2水平减轻脑损伤，这与降低p-MEK2和p-ERK1/2水平有关。针刺联合亚低温治疗脑缺血再灌注损伤的疗效优于单纯针刺或亚低温治疗。
