Effect of acupuncture on neurovascular units after cerebral infarction in rats through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of acupuncture on neurovascular units after cerebral infarction (CI) in rats through the phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway. METHODS: A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 12), model group (n = 12) and acupuncture group (n = 12). The external carotid artery was only exposed in model group, while the post-CI ischemia-reperfusion model was established using the suture method in the other 2 groups. After modeling, the rats in sham group and model group were fixed and sampled, while those in acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture intervention for 2 weeks and sampled. The neurological deficits of rats were evaluated using the Zea-Longa score, and the spatial learning and memory of rats were detected via water maze test. Moreover, the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and synuclein (SYN) in brain tissues were detected via immunohistochemistry, and the relative protein expressions of PI3K p85, PI3K p110 and p-AKT were detected via Western blotting. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expressions of VEGF, GAP-43 and SYN were detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: The Zea-Longa score was significantly increased in model group and acupuncture group compared with that in sham group (p < 0.05), while it significantly declined in acupuncture group compared with that in model group (p < 0.05). The escape latency was significantly prolonged and the times of crossing platform were significantly reduced in model group and acupuncture group compared with those in sham group (p < 0.05), while the escape latency was significantly shortened and the times of crossing platform were significantly increased in acupuncture group compared with those in model group (p < 0.05). The positive expressions of VEGF, GAP-43 and SYN were obviously increased in model group and acupuncture group compared with those in sham group (p < 0.05), while they were obviously increased in acupuncture group compared with those in model group (p < 0.05). Besides, model group and acupuncture group had significantly higher relative protein expressions of PI3K p85, PI3K p110 and p-AKT than sham group (p < 0.05), while acupuncture group also had significantly higher relative protein expressions of PI3K p85, PI3K p110 and p-AKT than model group (p < 0.05). The relative mRNA expressions of VEGF, GAP-43 and SYN were remarkably increased in model group and acupuncture group compared with those in sham group (p < 0.05), while they were remarkably increased in acupuncture group compared with those in model group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture promotes the repair of neurovascular units after CI in rats through activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby exerting a protective effect on neurovascular units.

[Observation on short and long-term effects of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with abdominal acupuncture plus Long's bone-setting manipulation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the short and long-term therapeutic effects on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) treated with simple Long's bone-setting manipulation, abdominal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture plus Long's bone-setting manipulation. METHODS: One hundred and eighty cases of CSR were randomly allocated into abdominal acupuncture plus bone-setting group (combined therapy group), bone-setting group and abdominal acupuncture group, 60 cases in each group. In combined therapy group, the abdominal acupuncture and Long's bone-setting were applied in combination. Abdominal acupuncture was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Shiguan (KI 18), Shangqu (KI 17), etc. Long's manipulation, such as bone-setting in head-upward posture and bone-setting in head-lateral posture, was adopted. In bone-setting group and abdominal acupuncture group, Long's bone-setting manipulation and abdominal acupuncture were adopted simply and respectively. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared after 2 courses of treatment (short-term) and 1-month after treatment (long-term) among groups. RESULTS: The short and long-term curative and markedly effective rates in combined therapy group were 80.7% (46/57) and 68.4% (39/57) respectively, which were better than those of 63.64% (35/55), 30.9% (17/55) in bone-setting group and 58.9% (33/56), 50.0% (28/56) in abdominal acupuncture group, separately (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the long-term curative and markedly effective rate in abdominal acupuncture group was superior to that in bone-setting group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Abdominal acupuncture plus Long's bone-setting manipulation has significant efficacy of either short or long-term on CSR, which is superior to the efficacy of either simple abdominal acupuncture or Long's bone-setting manipulation and indicates superimposed effect. Hence, it is one of the better approaches in CSR treatment.