Electroacupuncture promotes the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in the rat hippocampus of spleen deficiency syndrome / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Spleen deficiency has varying impact on the immune system and digestive system of the human body, and can also damage the normal function of the central nervous system as there is a close relationship between the spleen and brain. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of electroacupuncture on the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cels in the rat hippocampus of spleen deficiency syndrome. METHODS:Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups normal, control and electroacupuncture groups. The animal model of spleen deficiency syndrome was prepared in the control group and electroacupuncture group. Two weeks after modeling, rats in the electroacupuncture group were given electroacupuncture treatment, and the changes of body mass in normal rats and model rats were measured. Five rats from each group were taken to observe the histological changes of neural stem cels in the hippocampus at 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The body mass of rats in the model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group at 2 weeks after modeling (P < 0.05). In the electroacupuncture group, the number of BrdU positive cels was significantly higher than that in the normal group and control group at 2, 3, 4 weeks after modeling (P < 0.05); the number of BrdU/Nestin positive cels was significantly higher than that in the normal group at 2, 3, 4 weeks (P < 0.05); the number of BrdU/glial fibrilary acidic protein positive cels was significantly higher than that in the normal group at 2 weeks (P < 0.05); and the number of BrdU/neuronspecific enolase positive cels was significantly higher than the normal group at 3 weeks (P < 0.05). In the control group, the number of BrdU/Nestin positive cels was significantly lower than that in the normal group and electroacupuncture group at 1 week after modeling, significantly lower than that in the electroacupuncture group at 2 and 4 weeks, and significantly lower than the normal group at 3 weeks (P < 0.05); the number of BrdU/glial fibrilary acidic protein positive cels was significantly lower than that in the normal group and electroacupuncture group at 1, 2, 4 weeks; and the number of BrdU/neuronspecific enolase positive cels was significantly lower than that in the normal group and electroacupuncture group at 1, 2 weeks. Taken together, these experimental findings show that electroacupuncture treatment effectively promotes the proliferation of hippocampal neural stem cels that are induced to differentiate into astrocytes and neurons.