OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of electroacupuncturing (EA) Hegu point (LI 4) on proliferation of neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) after rat focal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

METHODSAnimal model was made by ligating external carotid artery and inserting a piece of nylon thread into the internal carotid artery. Eighty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n = 4) ,the sham operated group (n =4),the IR groups (contain 1,7,14,21,28 days' five time points,each point n =8),and the IR + EA group (contain 1,7,14,21,28 days' five time points,each point n = 8). Bilateral Hegu points on rat were consecutively stimulated for 15 min,once daily, and 7 days as one treatment course. The protein expression of Nestin in SVZ was detected by immunochemistry method.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the number of Nestin positive cell in SVZ in the I/R group increased strikingly on the 1st day, peaked on the 7 h day after reperfusion (P <0. 05), began to decrease on the 14th day, and almost reached normal on the 28 h day. A number of Nestin positive cells were present around the ischemic core in the cortex on the 7th day after reperfusion. After performed electroacupuncture, the number of Nestin positive cells in SVZ in the EA group increased on the 1st day, peaked on the 7th day, and increased 1. 5 times as compared with the IR 7 days group, the difference was obvious (P <0. 05) ,and began to decrease on the 14 h day, and almost reached normal on the 28th day. Nestin immunoreactivity around the ischemic core in the cortex was obviously presented in the EA 7 days group.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that cerebral ischemia can stimulate the potent of self-proliferation of neural stem cells and electroacupuncture can obviously increase the proliferation of neural stem cell.