The influence of acupuncture on Nestin expression in the cortex of hypoxia-ischemic neonatal rats / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture on Nestin expression in the cerebral cor- tex of hypoxia-ischemic neonatal rats.Methods A total of 72 Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats aged 7 days were random- ly divided into three groupsA normal group(n=24),the hypoxic-ischemic encepbalopathy(HIE)group(n=24), and an acupuncture+HIE group(n=24).The rats were sacrificed at time points including 3d,7d,14d and 28d af- ter insult,their brains were removed and sections were made.Any nerve stem cells(NSCs)in the cerebral cortex were detected using immunohistochemical staining of Nestin.Results Nestin-positive cells were found in the cere- bral cortex in the normal neonatal SD rats early after birth.After HI insult,the Nestin-positive cells had increased in the injured areas of the cortex and in contralateral mirror areas,especially around the injured areas.Peak Nestin ex- pression was 3 days after insult.In the acupuncture+HIE group,Nestin positive cells were significantly increased when compared with that in the HIE group,the peak was postponed,and the peak was longer than in the HIE group. The Nestin positive cells decreased,were seldom seen,and were not different among three groups 28 days after the HI insult.Conclusions Endogenous neural stem cells in the cerebral cortex were increased by acupuncture in hy- poxia-ischemic in neonatal rats,and acupuncture made the peak of Nestin expression longer.