Effects of scalp electroacupuncture on content of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 β and IL-10 in rats with a-cute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the underlying mechanisms of scalp electroacupuncture (SEA) in treating cerebral ischemia. Methods A total of 70 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into a sham operated group, a model group and a scalp electroacupuncture (SEA) group. Cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Rats in SEA group were treated with scalp electroacupuncture immediately after the establishment of the cerebral ischemia model by inserting the needles along anterior oblique line of vertex-temporal and posterior oblique line of vertex-temporal, connecting to the Han's Electro-Acupuncture Apparatus. The rats in sham operated group underwent the same operation as that in SEA group but without occlusion. Neurological severity score (NSS) was obtained to evaluate the neurofunctional defect, hemetoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the inflammatory infiltration in cerebral tissue, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) to measure the contents of IL-1 beta and IL-10 at various time points. Results SEA group demonstrated significant decline in NSS at 72 h after the operation when compared with that of model group (P < 0. 01 ). An apparent attenuation in in-flammatory infiltration was seen in SEA group comparing with that of model group, especially at 48 h and 72 h after operation (P <0.01 ). Apparent decrease in IL-lbeta in SEA group was observed when comparing with the model group at 72 h (P <0.01 ). Statistically significant increase in IL-10 content was seen in SEA group at 48 h and 72 h after operation comparing with that of model group. Conclusions Scalp electroacupuncture might exert brain pro-tection by suppressing leukocytes infiltration via up-regulation of IL-10 and down-regulation of IL-1 beta expression.