OBJECTIVETo study the proliferation and migration of neural stem cells (NSCs) of acute cerebral ischemia rats and the intervention of scalp-acupuncture (SA), and to study its action of mechanism in treating cerebral ischemia.

METHODSOne hundred healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into the sham-operation group (n = 10), the model group (n = 45), and the SA group (n = 45). The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established using the modified suture method. No suture or perfusion was given to rats in the sham-operation group, but these rats received the same procedures as those for modeled rats. After modeling routine feeding was given to rats in the model group and the sham-operative group without any other treatment. SA was successively given to rats in the SA group after successful ischemia reperfusion, once daily. Rats were anesthetized and sacrificed by peritoneally injecting bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) at the dose of 50 mg/kg on the 7th (T1), 14th day (T2), and 28th day (T3) after modeling. Neurological severity score (NSS) was assessed. The BrdU positive cells and the BrdU/PSA-NCAM positive cells of the dentate gyrus (DG) were counted using immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTSCompared with the model group at the same time points, the NSS decreased in the SA group. Significant difference was shown at T3 (P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operative group at the same time point, the BrdU positive cells and BrdU/PSA-NCAM positive cells of the model group obviously increased. Compared with the model group at the same time point, the BrdU positive cells and BrdU/ PSA-NCAM positive cells of the SA group obviously increased, showing significant difference (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSA could promote the proliferation and migration of endogenous NSCs, which may possibly be one of its mechanisms in treating cerebral ischemia.