The protective effect of scalp acupuncture on cerebral neurons in rats with ischemic stroke and its influence on PI3K/AKt pathway / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To investigate scalp acupuncture’s protective effect on brain neurons and its effect on motor function in ischemic stroke rats and the possible mechanisms. 【Methods】 The rat model of ischemic stroke was prepared by the modified Longa suture method； the rats were randomly divided into model group， scalp acupuncture treatment group， inhibitor group， scalp acupuncture treatment + inhibitor group， and sham operation group. After a series of interventions， we evaluated the neurological， behavioral and motor functions of rats in each group after the treatment was over. TTC staining was used to detect cerebral infarction area. Neuron morphology was observed by Nissl staining. qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of genes related to phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/serine-threonine protein kinase （AKt） pathway in the ischemic brain tissue of the rats. 【Results】 In the inhibitor group， the model group， the scalp acupuncture treatment group， and the scalp acupuncture treatment+inhibitor group， the neurological impairment and motor function score gradually decreased， the escape latency gradually shortened， the target quadrant residence time prolonged， the proportion of cerebral infarction area decreased， the number of Nissl bodies increased， the relative expressions of PI3K and AKt mRNA and protein increased （P<0.05）， and the neuronal morphology improved. 【Conclusion】 Scalp acupuncture can protect cerebral neurons of rats with ischemic stroke and enhance their motor function. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/AKt signaling pathway.