Ma Chunmei, Zhou Ying, Yi Wei, Zhou Xianxi, Guo Wenping, Xu Xiaowu, Luo Jing, Luo Ziwei, Liu Aijun, Chen Dongfeng
Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Medical College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Ann Transl Med. 2022 May;10(10):540. doi: 10.21037/atm-22-2068.
There is currently no effective treatment for vascular dementia (VaD). Scalp electroacupuncture (EA) has served clinically as an alternative treatment for VaD, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of EA at the Baihui (GV 20) and Shenting (GV 24) acupoints on spatial learning and memory ability, and the expression level of (), (), and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) in the frontal cortex of VaD rats.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, sham, VaD, non-acupuncture (non-AP) and EA group. The VaD model was established by permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. Morris Water Maze was used to assess the rats' spatial learning and memory. Immunochemistry (IHC), quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression level of , , and PSD-95. Finally, luciferase assay was used to determine the effect of on expression in PC12 cells.
The space exploration experiment of MWM showed the time and distance of the rat's activities around the platform were decreased in the EA group. Compared to the VaD and non-AP group, the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUDP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive frontal cortical neurons was significantly decreased in EA group. The number of the PSD-95-positive cells and the expression level in the frontal cortical in the EA group was dramatically increased in comparison with the other groups. In the PC12 cell validation experiment, expression level was reduced under the condition of the mimic treatment, while increased in the inhibitor group. The PSD-95 protein level was up-regulated in the small interfering () group compared to the groups with or without oxygen/glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) conditions (P<0.05). However, this was abolished by mimic.
In VaD rats, EA may improve spatial learning and memory through miR-81/IL-16/PSD-95 pathway.
目前血管性痴呆（VaD）尚无有效的治疗方法。头皮电针（EA）在临床上已作为VaD的一种替代治疗方法，但机制仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们探讨了电针百会（GV 20）和神庭（GV 24）穴位对VaD大鼠空间学习和记忆能力以及额叶皮质中（）、（）和突触后致密蛋白95（PSD - 95）表达水平的影响。
将雄性Sprague - Dawley大鼠随机分为四组，假手术组、VaD组、非针刺（non - AP）组和电针组。通过永久性双侧颈总动脉闭塞建立VaD模型。采用Morris水迷宫评估大鼠的空间学习和记忆能力。进行免疫化学（IHC）、定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（qRT - PCR）和蛋白质免疫印迹分析以检测（）、（）和PSD - 95的表达水平。最后，使用荧光素酶测定法确定（）对PC12细胞中（）表达的影响。
MWM的空间探索实验表明，电针组大鼠在平台周围活动的时间和距离减少。与VaD组和非针刺组相比，电针组额叶皮质中末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶介导的dUTP缺口末端标记（TUNEL）阳性神经元数量显著减少。与其他组相比，电针组额叶皮质中PSD - 95阳性细胞数量和（）表达水平显著增加。在PC12细胞验证实验中，（）模拟物处理条件下（）表达水平降低，而在（）抑制剂组中升高。与有或无氧/葡萄糖剥夺/再灌注（OGD/R）条件的（）组相比，小干扰RNA（）组中PSD - 95蛋白水平上调（P < 0.05）。然而，（）模拟物可消除这种上调。
在VaD大鼠中，电针可能通过miR - 81/IL - 16/PSD - 95通路改善空间学习和记忆。
