BACKGROUND:Both acupuncture and neural stem cel therapy have good achievements in the treatment of cerebral palsy, but there are few reports about their combined therapy. OBJECTIVE:To observe the therapeutic effect of combined therapy of acupuncture and neural stem cel transplantation on cerebral palsy rats and to explore the relevant mechanism of action. METHODS: Cerebral palsy models were built in newborn rats, and then, the model rats were subjected to acupuncture, neural stem cel transplantation and their combination, respectively. Meanwhile, normal control group and model group were set up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the other groups, in the combined therapy group, the behavior scores of cerebral palsy rats improved significantly (P < 0.05), the number of nerve cels and Bcl-2 protein expression were increased significantly (P < 0.05), and the number of apoptotic nerve cels and Bax protein expression were decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Additionaly, there were no significant differences in these indicators among the model, acupuncture and neural stem cel transplantation groups. These findings indicate that the combined therapy of acupuncture and neural stem cel therapy can obviously improve learning and memory ability of cerebral palsy rats and reduce neuronal apoptosis, which is probably associated with down-regulation of Bax protein and up-regulation of Bcl-2 protein.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Motor function: The motor function scores were better in the acupuncture + rehabilitation group than in the model, acupuncture, and rehabilitation groups (P< 0.05). (2) Growth associated protein-43 and synaptophysin expression: immunohistochemical staining revealed that compared with the model group, growth associated protein-43 expression at 2-4 weeks and synaptophysin expression at 4 and 5 weeks were higher in the acupuncture and acupuncture + rehabilitation groups(P<0.05); the increase in above expression was most significant in the acupuncture + rehabilitation group (P<0.05). (3) Results confirmed that acupuncture combined with rehabilitation promoted growth associated protein-43 and synaptophysin expression in rats with cerebral palsy and exerted neuroprotective effect.

BACKGROUND:Acupuncture has been shown to impact cerebral blood flow, relieve cerebral edema, improve microcirculation and reduce neural cel apoptosis in animals with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE:To further verify the effect of acupuncture on neuronal apoptosis in cerebral palsy rats.
METHODS:Forty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group and the acupuncture group, with 15 rats in each group. In the model and acupuncture groups, rat models of cerebral palsy were established by ligating the left common carotid artery. In the sham surgerygroup, the left common carotid artery was not ligated. Rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture from 2 days after model induction, once a day, for 20 consecutive days. Rats in the sham surgery and model groups were left intact. At 21 days aftersurgery, neurological functions, pathomorphological changes and neuronal apoptosis were observed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Motor function score was significantly lower in the model group than in the sham surgery group (P< 0.05). Motor function scorewas significantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the model group at 21 days (P< 0.05). (2) Hematoxylin-eosin staining: In the model group, cels were scattered. Inflammatory cel infiltration and cystis degeneration were found. The number of nerve cels was reduced. Degeneration, necrosis, gliosis and karyopyknosis were detected. Cavitation was visible in some cels. Cel bodies became smal. The structure was not distinct or disappeared. In the sham surgery group, the morphology and structure ofnerve cels were normal. In the acupuncture group, the changes in morphology and structure of nerve cels were found between the sham surgery and model groups. (3) The number of apoptotic cels was significantly greater in the model group than in the sham surgery group (P< 0.05). The number of apoptotic nerve cels was significantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the sham surgery group (P< 0.05), but significantly lower than in the model group (P< 0.05). (4) Results confirmed that acupuncture therapy can improve neurological function, reduce nerve cel apoptosis, and play a protective effect on nerve cels of rats with cerebral palsy.

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of RASSF6 gene on gastric cancer cells’ proliferation， autophagy， apoptosis， and sensitivity to oxaliplatin chemotherapy. 【Methods】 Gastric cancer BGC823 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into experimental control group （control group）， RASSF6 overexpression group （Oe group）， RASSF6 interference group， and lentivirus control group according to the expression effect of lentivirus gene. The changes in cell proliferation， cell cycle distribution， cell migration， autophagy， apoptosis and sensitivity to oxaliplatin in each group were detected， and the number of autophagy bodies in each group was detected by electron microscopy. Real-time PCR （qRT-PCR） and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis- and autophagy-related genes in each group. 【Results】 Studies on the biological behavior of gastric cancer BGC823 cells induced by RASSF6 gene expression showed that compared with the control group， the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells in the Oe group increased， while the percentage of G2 and S phase cells decreased， with statistical significance （P<0.05）. The apoptosis rate was significantly increased （P<0.05）. The cell scratch assay showed that the scratch healing rate was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Studies on the sensitivity of RASSF6 gene expression to oxaliplatin showed that compared with the drug group （L-OHP group）， the apoptosis rate of Oe+L-OHP group was increased significantly （P<0.05）. In the Oe+L-OHP group， the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased， the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were increased； the expression of autophagosomes was increased； the expressions of Beclin-1 and P62 and the ratio of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3 were all increased （P<0.05）. 【Conclusion】 The RASSF6 gene plays a role in suppressing gastric cancer cell BGC823， which can increase the sensitivity to oxaliplatin chemotherapy by promoting apoptosis and autophagy.