Open Access

Electroacupuncture stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in a rat model of ischemic stroke

  • Authors:
    • Feng Tan
    • Jian Wang
    • Jing Xian Liu
    • Chen Wang
    • Miaodan Li
    • Yong Gu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 11, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6848
  • Pages: 4943-4950
  • Copyright: © Tan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Electroacupuncture (EA) may stimulate neurogenesis in animal models of ischemic stroke; however, the associated mechanisms are not clear. The present study aimed to evaluate the neurogenesis efficacy of EA on ischemic stroke and the underlying associated mechanisms. A model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was employed as the rat model of brain ischemia and reperfusion. EA treatment at the GV20 (Baihui) and GV14 (Dazhui) acupoints was conducted for 30 min daily following MCAO. Immunofluorescence was performed to measure the number of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)/nestin‑ or BrdU/doublecortin (DCX)‑positive cells in the sham, MCAO and MCAO + EA groups. Results indicated that EA stimulation significantly decreased the neurological score and neuronal loss in rats in the MCAO group (both P<0.05). Furthermore, immunostaining assays indicated that BrdU/nestin‑ and BrdU/DCX‑positive cells in EA‑treated rats were significantly increased (P<0.05) when compared with the rats in the MCAO group, indicating EA may induce the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells (eNSCs) during cerebral ischemia‑reperfusion. In addition, EA treatment significantly enhanced the protein expression levels of plasticity‑related gene 5 (PRG5), a critical neurogenesis factor, and significantly decreased the protein expression levels of three neurogenesis inhibiting molecules, NogoA, lysophosphatidic acid and RhoA (all P<0.05). These results suggested that EA promotes the proliferation and differentiation of eNSCs, likely through modulating PRG5/RhoA signaling.
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December-2018
Volume 16 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Tan F, Wang J, Liu JX, Wang C, Li M and Gu Y: Electroacupuncture stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in a rat model of ischemic stroke. Exp Ther Med 16: 4943-4950, 2018
APA
Tan, F., Wang, J., Liu, J.X., Wang, C., Li, M., & Gu, Y. (2018). Electroacupuncture stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in a rat model of ischemic stroke. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 16, 4943-4950. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6848
MLA
Tan, F., Wang, J., Liu, J. X., Wang, C., Li, M., Gu, Y."Electroacupuncture stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in a rat model of ischemic stroke". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 16.6 (2018): 4943-4950.
Chicago
Tan, F., Wang, J., Liu, J. X., Wang, C., Li, M., Gu, Y."Electroacupuncture stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in a rat model of ischemic stroke". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 16, no. 6 (2018): 4943-4950. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6848