Xu Pan, Zhang Xue-Zhu
Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM, Tianjin 300381, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin 300381.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2022 Apr 12;42(4):407-12. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20210330-k0008.
To observe the effect of acupuncture on the balance of T helper (Th) 1/Th2 cells in peripheral blood, inflammatory reaction and intracerebral neuroinflammation in vascular dementia (VD) rats, and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture for improving cognitive function in VD.
A total of 60 SPF Wistar rats were randomized into a normal group (=12), a sham operation group (=12) and an operation group (=36). Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion was adopted to establish the VD model in rats of the operation group. The rats of successful modeling were randomized into a model group and an acupuncture group, 12 rats in each one. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied at "Danzhong" (CV 17), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Qihai" (CV 6), "Xuehai" (SP 10) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), the needles were manipulated for 30 s at each acupoint, without retaining. The intervention was given once a day for 15 days, and there was 1-day rest on day 8. Morris water maze test was adopted to observe the ethology, flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood, and Luminex liquid chip technology was used to detect the levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum and hippocampus.
There were no significant differences in various indexes between the normal group and the sham operation group (>0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, in the model group, the escape latency of hidden platform test and reversal platform test was prolonged (<0.01), the residence time of the original platform quadrant was shortened and the number of crossing the original platform was reduced in probe test (<0.01, <0.05), the proportion of Th1 cells was increased, the proportion of Th2 cells was decreased and the ratio of Th1/Th2 cells was increased in peripheral blood (<0.01), the levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ were increased, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were decreased in serum and hippocampus (<0.05, <0.01). Compared with the model group, in the acupuncture group, the escape latency of hidden platform test and reversal platform test was shortened (<0.01), the residence time of the original platform quadrant of the probe test was prolonged (<0.05), the proportion of Th1 cells was decreased, the proportion of Th2 cells was increased and the ratio of Th1 / Th2 cells was decreased in peripheral blood (<0.05), the levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ were decreased, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were increased in serum and hippocampus (<0.05, <0.01).
Acupuncture can improve the cognitive dysfunction and reduce the intracerebral neuroinflammation in VD rats, its mechanism may relate to the regulation of Th1/Th2 cells balance and reduce the inflammatory reaction in peripheral blood.
观察针刺对血管性痴呆（VD）大鼠外周血辅助性T（Th）1/Th2细胞平衡、炎症反应及脑内神经炎症的影响，探讨针刺改善VD大鼠认知功能的机制。
将60只SPF级Wistar大鼠随机分为正常组（n = 12）、假手术组（n = 12）和手术组（n = 36）。采用双侧颈总动脉结扎法建立手术组大鼠VD模型。将造模成功的大鼠随机分为模型组和针刺组，每组12只。针刺组取“膻中”（CV 17）、“中脘”（CV 12）、“气海”（CV 6）、“血海”（SP 10）、“足三里”（ST 36）进行针刺，每个穴位行针30 s，不留针。每天干预1次，共15天，第8天休息1天。采用Morris水迷宫试验观察行为学变化，流式细胞术检测外周血Th1/Th2比例，Luminex液相芯片技术检测血清及海马组织中白细胞介素（IL）-4、IL-10、干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平。
正常组与假手术组各项指标比较，差异均无统计学意义（P > 0.05）。与假手术组比较，模型组隐藏平台试验和反转平台试验的逃避潜伏期延长（P < 0.01），探针试验中在原平台象限的停留时间缩短、穿越原平台次数减少（P < 0.01，P < 0.05），外周血Th1细胞比例升高，Th2细胞比例降低，Th1/Th2细胞比值升高（P < 0.01），血清及海马组织中TNF-α和IFN-γ水平升高，IL-4和IL-10水平降低（P < 0.05，P < 0.01）。与模型组比较，针刺组隐藏平台试验和反转平台试验的逃避潜伏期缩短（P < 0.01），探针试验中在原平台象限的停留时间延长（P < 0.05），外周血Th1细胞比例降低，Th2细胞比例升高，Th1/Th2细胞比值降低（P < 0.05），血清及海马组织中TNF-α和IFN-γ水平降低，IL-4和IL-10水平升高（P < 0.05，P < 0.01）。
针刺可改善VD大鼠认知功能障碍，减轻脑内神经炎症，其机制可能与调节Th1/Th2细胞平衡、减轻外周血炎症反应有关。
