Neurotrophic Signaling Factors in Brain Ischemia/Reperfusion Rats: Differential Modulation Pattern between Single‐Time and Multiple Electroacupuncture Stimulation

Abstract

Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been widely used for stroke-like disorders in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our previous studies showed that single-time EA stimulation at “Baihui” (GV 20) and “Shuigou” (GV 26) after the onset of ischemia can protect the brain against ischemic injury in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Here, we further investigated the differential effects between multiple EA and single-time EA stimulation on ischemic injury. In the present study, we found that both single-time EA and multiple EA stimulation significantly reduced MCAO-induced ischemic infarction, while only multiple EA attenuated sensorimotor dysfunctions. Also, with PCR array screening and ingenuity gene analysis, we revealed that multiple EA and single-time EA stimulation could differentially induce expression changes in neurotrophic signaling related genes. Meanwhile, with western blotting, we demonstrated that the level of glia maturation factor β (GMFβ) increased in the early stage (day 1) of reperfusion, and this upregulation was suppressed only by single-time EA stimulation. These findings suggest that the short-term effect of single-time EA stimulation differs from the cumulative effect of multiple EA, which possibly depends on their differential modulation on neurotrophic signaling molecules expression.

Activation of hippocampal MEK1 contributes to the cumulative antinociceptive effect of electroacupuncture in neuropathic pain rats

“…These data suggest that MEK1 is activated in the hippocampus contralateral to the nerve injury side following four times of EA intervention, and this increase in MEK1 activity may initiate a cumulative effect of EA treatment. Previously reported gene screening results suggest that the discrepancy between the effects of multiple and single EA treatments on brain ischemia/reperfusion are possibly caused by their differential modulation on gene expression, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and signal transducer-related genes [4]. This proposal is consistent with our data.…”

“…Acupuncture therapy, a method of traditional Chinese medicine, has received worldwide attention as a strategy to relieve pain [1–3]. Clinical practice demonstrates that multiple sessions of acupuncture treatment (not a single session) may induce an obvious analgesic effect [4–6]. However, the number of acupuncture treatment sessions required for effective pain relief is unclear.…”

NF‐κB Signaling is Involved in the Effects of Intranasally Engrafted Human Neural Stem Cells on Neurofunctional Improvements in Neonatal Rat Hypoxic–Ischemic Encephalopathy

“…Protein samples (15 μ g/lane) from different groups were electrophoresed on 10% SDS–polyacrylamide gel and transferred to the polyvinyl difluoride membrane (Bio‐Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) as the method described . Peroxidase activity was visualized with an enhanced chemiluminescence substrate system (ECL; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA).…”

Mechanisms Involved in the Neuroprotection of Electroacupuncture Therapy for Ischemic Stroke

“…EA intervention is reported to suppress ischemia-elicited astrocyte activation and reduce the expression of GMF. Thus, it is speculated that EA might inhibit astroglial activation via decreasing GMF (Wang et al, 2014) (as shown in Table 1).…”