Zhang Junfeng, Li Shisheng, Wu Yaochi
Department of Acupuncture, Tuina and Traumatology, The Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Mol Med Rep. 2017 Aug;16(2):2185-2190. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2017.6801. Epub 2017 Jun 19.
Electroacupuncture (EA) has been demonstrated to promote the functional recovery of neurons following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, the mechanisms underlying its effects have yet to be elucidated. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been implicated in the regulation of the balance between growth, proliferation and differentiation of neural precursor cells. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of EA therapy on Wnt/β‑catenin‑regulated gene expression and neuronal recovery in rats with SCI. The Allen method was used to establish SCI in rats, and alterations in Wnt1 and Nestin mRNA and protein expression levels in response to SCI were determined on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 post‑injury using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. To evaluate the effects of EA treatment on SCI, the following four treatment groups were employed: SCI, SCI + EA, SCI + lithium chloride (LiCl) and SCI + LiCl + EA. The protein expression levels of Wnt1, Nestin and nuclear β‑catenin were evaluated on day 3 post‑treatment, and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) protein expression levels were evaluated on day 21 post‑treatment using western blot analysis. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scoring method was used to evaluate spinal cord recovery on day 28 post‑treatment across the four treatment groups. EA therapy at the Dazhui and Mingmen acupuncture points significantly increased the expression levels of Wnt1, Nestin, β‑catenin and NeuN, thus suggesting that EA therapy may promote spinal cord recovery following injury. The underlying mechanism was demonstrated to involve enhanced Wnt/β‑catenin signaling, which may promote the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. However, further studies are required to elucidate the detailed effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of EA therapy on SCI.
电针已被证明可促进脊髓损伤（SCI）后神经元的功能恢复；然而，其作用的潜在机制尚未阐明。Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路与神经前体细胞生长、增殖和分化之间的平衡调节有关。本研究旨在探讨电针疗法对SCI大鼠Wnt/β-连环蛋白调节的基因表达和神经元恢复的影响。采用Allen法建立大鼠SCI模型，并在损伤后第1、3、7和14天，使用逆转录-定量聚合酶链反应和蛋白质印迹分析，测定Wnt1和巢蛋白mRNA及蛋白表达水平的变化。为评估电针治疗对SCI的影响，设立了以下四个治疗组：SCI组、SCI + 电针组、SCI + 氯化锂（LiCl）组和SCI + LiCl + 电针组。在治疗后第3天评估Wnt1、巢蛋白和核β-连环蛋白的蛋白表达水平，在治疗后第21天使用蛋白质印迹分析评估神经元核抗原（NeuN）蛋白表达水平。采用Basso、Beattie和Bresnahan评分法在治疗后第28天评估四个治疗组的脊髓恢复情况。在大椎穴和命门穴进行电针治疗可显著提高Wnt1、巢蛋白、β-连环蛋白和NeuN的表达水平，因此表明电针治疗可能促进损伤后脊髓的恢复。其潜在机制表明涉及增强的Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号传导，这可能促进神经干细胞的增殖和分化。然而，需要进一步研究以阐明电针治疗对SCI的详细作用和潜在分子机制。
