Electro-acupuncture up-regulates the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1α mRNA and its protein and promotes revascularization in the brain after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which electro-acupuncture (EA) promotes revascularization in the brain after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.Methods The Sprague-Dawley rat model of focal cerebral ischemia was made by filament occlusion. The rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and an EA group. The model and EA groups were each divided into 5 subgroups receiving reperfusion 1, 3,7, 14 or 21 days after ischemia. EA was given at the bilateral Hegn point (LI 4) in the EA group. The expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1α(SDF-1α) mRNA was detected using a RT-PCR in the 3, 7 and 14 day subgroups.The immunohistochemical method was employed to detect the expression of SDF-1α protein. Results Compared with the control group, expression of SDF-1α protein increased significantly in the model and EA groups. Compared with the model group, the expression of SDF-1α mRNA increased significantly in the 3, 7 and 14 day subgroups.SDF-1α protein expression and microvessel count increased slightly but not significantly in the 1d subgroup, but the increases were significant in the 3, 7, 14 and 21 day subgroups.Conclusions EA may promote angiogenesis in an ischemic area of the cortex by increasing the expression of SDF-1αmRNA and its protein after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.