The Effect Of Acupuncture Combined With Hypothermia On Apoptosis Related Factors In Rats With CIRI

Objective : To explore the effect of acupuncture combined with hypothermia on neurological deficit scores, cerebral infarction area ratio and apoptosis-related factors of rats with Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury(CIRI).Methods: Middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) model of focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion was made by the modified Zea Longa suture method.Then the 60 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group(Group A),sham group(Group B), model group(Group C), acupuncture group(Group D), hypothermia group(Group E) and acupuncture combined with hypothermia group(Group F), 10 in each.After treatment for 72 h,the neurological deficit was scored,the cerebral infarction area ratio was detected by TTC staining,the brain cells' apoptosis was observed by TUNEL staining,and the expression of the Bcl-2?Bax and Caspase-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results:1.The model of rats with CIRI was successfully established,compared with Group A and Group B,the neurological deficit scores of rats were significantly higher in the rest groups,the difference had statistically significant(P < 0.01),there was no statistical significance among modeling groups(P > 0.05); after treatment for 72 h,compared with Group C, the neurological deficit scores of rats were relatively lower among treatment groups,the difference had statistically significant(P < 0.05);compared with Group F, the difference had statistically significant in Group D(P<0.05),there was no statistical significance in Group E(P>0.05), but it was showed that scores of rats in the Group F was better than that of Group E.2.Compared with Group A and Group B,the cerebral infarction area ratio of rats were increased in the rest groups, the difference had statistically significant(P <0.05); compared with Group C, the cerebral infarction area ratio of rats were relatively narrowed among treatment groups, the difference had statistically significant; compared with Group F, the difference had statistically significant in Group A ? Group B and Group D(P < 0.05),the difference had remarkable significance in Group C and Group E(P < 0.01), and it was showed that the cerebral infarction area ratio of rats in the Group F was superior to that of Group D and Group E.3.Compared with Group A and Group B,the number of positive cells of Bax ?Caspase-3 and apoptosis of rats had increased in the rest groups, while the number of positive cells of Bcl-2 of rats had decreased,the difference had statistically significant(P<0.05); the number of positive cells of apoptosis?Bax and Caspase-3of rats were relatively reduced,while the expression level of Bcl-2 of rats were relatively increased among treatment groups,the number of positive cells of rats in the Group F was superior to that of Group D and Group E, but there was no statistical significance among the three treatmentn groups(P>0.05).Conclusion:1.The marked neurological deficit symptoms and signs, the increased cerebral infarction area ratio and the increased apoptotic cells in ischemia area of rats was caused by CIRI,but a series of adverse phenomena may be remarkably improved by acupuncture at Dazhui(GV14)?Baihui(GV20)and Renzhong(GV26), combined with hypothermia.2.The treatment of acupuncture combined with hypothermia may be achieved the protection of brain cells by the improvement of neurological deficits, the decrease of infarction area ratio and the decline of the number of positive cells in the ischemic area.3.A series of adverse phenomena of rats with CIRI may be improved in Group D?Group E and Group F,and it is showed that the trend in the Group F is superior to that of Group D and Group E.