Effect of electroacupuncture preconditioning on hippocampal IκB-α∕NF-κB∕ICAM-1 signaling path-way during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in mice / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture ( EA) preconditioning on hipp-ocampal I-kappa B-α ( IκB-α)∕nuclear factor κB ( NF-κB)∕intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( ICAM-1) signaling pathway during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion ( I∕R) in mice. Methods A total of 120 healthy male C57BL∕6 mice, aged 10-12 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=30 each) u-sing a random number table method: control group ( group C) , cerebral I∕R group ( group I∕R) , precondi-tioning with EA at non-acupoint+cerebral I∕R group ( group S+I∕R) and preconditioning with EA at Baihui acupoint + cerebral I∕R group ( group E+I∕R) . The cerebral I∕R injury model was established by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries followed by reperfusion for 72 h in mice anesthetized with halothane or chloral hydrate in group I∕R. Group S+I∕R received EA at the points 2 mm lateral to the acupoints of Baihui for 5 consecutive days, and then the cerebral I∕R injury model was established. Group E+I∕R received EA at Baihui acupoints with a sparse-dense wave at an intensity of 1 mA and a frequency of 2 Hz∕15 Hz for 30 min once a day for 5 consecutive days, and then the cerebral I∕R injury model was established. Neurobe-havioral score was assessed at 24 and 48 h of reperfusion. Then 5 mice in each group were sacrificed, and the hippocampal tissues were obtained and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for examination of the patho-logical changes in hippocampal CA1 region and for determination of the expression of IκB-α, NF-κB, ICAM-1, interleukin-6 ( IL-6) , IL-1β protein and mRNA by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results Compared with group C, neurobehavioral score was significantly in-creased, and the expression of hippocampal IκB-α, NF-κB, ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL-1βprotein and mRNA was up-regulated in I∕R, S+I∕R and E+I∕R groups ( P<0. 05) . Compared with group I∕R, neurobehavioral score was significantly decreased, and the expression of hippocampal IκB-α, NF-κB, ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL-1β protein and mRNA was down-regulated in group E+I∕R (P<0. 05), and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group S+I∕R (P>0. 05). Compared with group S+I∕R, neu-robehavioral score was significantly decreased, and the expression of hippocampal IκB-α, NF-κB, ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL-1β protein and mRNA was down-regulated in group E+I∕R ( P<0. 05) . Conclusion The mechanism by which EA preconditioning attenuates cerebral I∕R injury may be related to inhibiting activation of hippocampal IκB-α∕NF-κB∕ICAM-1 signaling pathway in mice.