The Effects Of Acupuncture At Neiguan On The Angiogenesis And Mechanisms Involving SDF-1/CXCR4 Signaling Axis In The MCAO Rats

Ischemic stroke is a common disease happening to the aged, and does severe harm to humanity health for its high mortality, incidence of disability and recurrence rate. The neurological dysfunction induced by ischemic stroke impairs the quality of life of the patients. For this reason, the main consideration of treating the patients with ischemic stroke is to improve their neurological functions. Acupuncture has become a routine therapy in the treatment of ischemic stroke, and its curative effect has been confirmed.Objective: To reveal the mechanisms of the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis on the angiogenesis induction, and to uncover the mechanisms of acupuncture on the angiogenesis induction in the MCAO rats, trying to provide theoretical and experimental basis for the employment of the acupuncture in the treatment of ischemic stroke.Methods: The MCAO rat model was established using the method of modified Zea Longa, and treated with acupuncture at Neiguan continuously for 7 days. In order to test the improvement of the brain tissue morphology caused by the acupuncture,the neuroethology and brain tissue morphology of the rats were estimated; the area ratio of the cerebral infarction and the microvessel quantity were also detected via immunohistochemistry, Real-time PCR and Western blot. The mechanisams of acupuncture on the angiogenesis induced by the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis was investigated by detecting the expression of mRNA and protein of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the rat brains.Results: Continuously acupuncture at Neiguan for 7 days can effectively improve the neurological function score, reduce the degree of cerebral edema and promote the recovery of neurological function in the MCAO rats;Continuously acupuncture at Neiguan for 7 days can significantly reduce the size of cerebral infarction and promote angiogenesis in the MCAO rats;Continuously acupuncture at Neiguan for 7 days can significantly increase the content of HIF-1 and VEGF in the serum of MCAO rats;Continuously acupuncture at Neiguan for 7 days can upregulate the expression level of both the mRNA and protein of SDF-1 and CXCR4.Conclusions: Acupuncture at Neiguan can increase the expression of HIF-1 and VEGF in the MCAO rats, activate the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis to promote the angiogenesis in the MCAO rats. On the other hand, acupuncture at Neiguan can upregulate the expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4, thus enhance the activity of SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis, promote the angiogenesis in the brain, so that the treatment is able to increase the microcirculatory blood flow, reduce the size of cerebral infarction, and reapair neurological dysfunction.