Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Promotes PGC-1α Mediated Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Antioxidant Stress to Protect Cognitive Function in Vascular Dementia Rats
10.16476/j.pibb.2023.0331
- VernacularTitle:经皮穴位电刺激通过PGC-1α介导的线粒体生物生成和抗氧化应激改善血管性痴呆大鼠的认知功能
- Author:
Ji-Liang KANG
1
;
Ke HU
2
;
Jun-Yue LU
1
;
Zi-Wei HU
1
;
Biao-Ping XU
1
;
Xiao-Mao LI
1
;
Jun-Jie ZHOU
1
;
Yu JIN
1
;
Min TANG
3
;
Rong XU
2
;
You-Liang WEN
1
Author Information
1. School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
3. Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Ningbo Rehabilitation Hospital, Ningbo 315040, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
vascular dementia;
transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation;
cognition function;
PGC-1α;
anti-oxidant;
mitochondrial
- From:
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics
2024;51(5):1191-1202
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on cognitive function of vascular dementia (VD) rats and its mechanism. MethodsVD rat model was established by modified two-vessel occlusion (2-VO). After modeling, TEAS and electroacupuncture (EA) were used to stimulate Baihui and Zusanli points of rats respectively for 14 d. After treatment, novel object recognition test, Morris water maze test, and Y maze test were used to evaluate the spatial memory and learning ability of rats. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the morphology of hippocampal neurons. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of hippocampal mitochondria. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to detected the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, MDA and ROS in serum of rats. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PGC-1α, TFAM, HO-1, NQO1 proteins in the hippocampus, Keap1 protein in the cytoplasm and Nrf2, NRF1 proteins in the nucleus. ResultsAfter treatment for 14 d, compared to the model group, the escape latency of VD rats decreased, while the discrimination index, the times of rats crossing the original platform area, the residence time in the original platform quadrant, and the percentage of alternation increased. TEAS can improve the structure of hippocampal neurons and mitochondria of VD rats, showing that neurons were arranged more regularly and distributed more evenly, nuclear membrane and nucleoli were clearer, and mitochondrial swelling were reduced, mitochondrial matrix density were increased, and mitochondrial cristae were more obvious. The levels of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT in serum increased significantly, while the concentration of MDA and ROS decreased. TEAS also up-regulated the expression levels of PGC-1α TFAM, NQO1 and HO-1 proteins in the hippocampus and Nrf2, NRF1 proteins in the nucleus, but down-regulated the Keap1 protein in the cytoplasm. ConclusionTEAS can improve cognition, hippocampal neurons and mitochondrial structure of VD rats, and the effect is better than EA. The mechanism may be the activation of PGC-1α mediated mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant stress, which also provides a potential therapeutic technology and experimental basis for the treatment of VD.
