Effect and mechanism of Zuogui Pills on neural function recovery in ischemic stroke mice based on OPN/IGF-1/mTOR / 中国中药杂志

To explore the effect and mechanism of Zuogui Pills in promoting neural tissue recovery and functional recovery in mice with ischemic stroke. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, and low-, medium, and high-dose Zuogui Pills groups(3.5, 7, and 14 g·kg~(-1)), with 15 mice in each group. The ischemic stroke model was established using photochemical embolization. Stiker remove and irregular ladder walking behavioral tests were conducted before modeling and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after medication. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining was performed on day 3 after modeling, and T2-weighted imaging(T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) were performed on day 28 after medication to evaluate the extent of brain injury. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to observe the histology of the cerebral cortex. Axonal marker proteins myelin basic protein(MBP), growth-associated protein 43(GAP43), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and its downstream phosphorylated s6 ribosomal protein(p-S6), as well as mechanism-related proteins osteopontin(OPN) and insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1), were detected using immunofluorescence and Western blot. Zuogui Pills had a certain restorative effect on the neural function impairment caused by ischemic stroke in mice. TTC staining showed white infarct foci in the sensory-motor cortex area, and T2WI imaging revealed cystic necrosis in the sensory-motor cortex area. The Zuogui Pills groups showed less brain tissue damage, fewer scars, and more capillaries. The number of neuronal axons in those groups was higher than that in the model group, and neuronal activity was stronger. The expression of GAP43, OPN, IGF-1, and mTOR proteins in the Zuogui Pills groups was higher than that in the model group. In summary, Zuogui Pills can promote the recovery of neural function and axonal growth in mice with ischemic stroke, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of the OPN/IGF-1/mTOR signaling pathway.

Effects of functional electrical stimulation on neural function recovery and expression of nestin around cerebral infracted urea of rats with acute stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To study the effects of functional electric stimulation(FES) on neural function recovery and expression of nestin around cerebral infract area of rats with acute stroke.Methods The model of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) of male adult SD rats was established with the method of modified intraluminal filament occlusion.Sixty successfully established model rats were randomly allocated into FES group, placebo group and control group(20/group).Three days after MCAO' s surgery, rats in FES group were treated with FES device while the ones in placebo stimulation group were treated with the same FES device but without electrical output.Rats in control group had no treatment.All groups were randomly assigned into 4 subgroups according to treatment time:1 d,3 d ,7 d and 14 d (5/subgroup).The modified neurological severity score(mNSS) was adopted to evaluate neural function recovery before and after treatment in 4 time points as mentioned above.Meanwhile,the nestin expression in various time points was detected by immunohistochemistry stain in distant area of ipsilateral cortex of infarction.Results The mNSS sours in FES group is lower than that in placebo simulation group and control group at the 7 thd and 14thd (P < 0.05 ) ;The expression of nestin-positive cells in distant area of ipsilateral cortex of infarction of rats in FES group is higher than that in placebo stimulation group and control group ( P < 0.05 ).Conclusions FES may improve the recovery of neural function in the earlier stage of cerebral infarction.FES treatment could improve the expression of nesitin around cerebral infarct area and it could be one of the mechanisms of FES' s effect.