Effect of acupuncture combined with hypothermia on MAPK/ERK pathway and apoptosis related factors in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury
10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2017.04.003
- VernacularTitle:针刺联合亚低温对脑缺血再灌注损伤大鼠脑组织MAPK/ERK通路及凋亡相关因子的影响
- Author:
Yaping LIN
;
Qin LIU
;
Chutao CHEN
;
Wen CHEN
;
Heng XIAO
;
Qianyun YANG
;
Haomei TIAN
- Keywords:
acupuncture combined with hypothermia;
cerebral ischemia reperfusion;
mitogen-activated protein kinase 2;
extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2;
apoptotic cells;
Bax;
Bcl-2
- From:
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences)
2017;42(4):380-388
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To observe effect of acupuncture combined with hypothermia therapy on MAPK/ERK pathway and apoptosis related factorsin rats suffered cerebral ischemia reperfusion and to explore underlying mechanisms.Methods:Middle cerebral artery ischemia model were established.Ninety SD rats were randomly assigned into a blank group,a control group,a model group,an acupuncture group,a mild hypothermia group,and an acupuncture with hypothermia group.After 72 h treatment,nervefunction defect scores were observed,and infarction area percent was detected by 2,3,5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining;expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were examined by immunohistochemistry;apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL assay;and expression levels of phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-MEK2) and phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in the rats' hippocampus ischemic side were determined by Western blot.Results:In the rats of the model group,the neural function defect scores,the infarction area percent,the expression level of Bax,and apoptotic cells increased,while the level of Bcl-2 decreased significantly.The level of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 increased obviously compared with the blank and control groups (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).After treatment with acupuncture and hypothermia,the neural function defect scores,infarction area percent,and the level ofBax,apoptotic cells and the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 were significantly decreased,while the level of Bcl-2 in the treatment group was significantly elevated (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) compared with the model group.Compared with the acupuncture group or the hypothermia group,the neural function defect scores and the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2 in the acupuncture combined with hypothermia group were significantly reduced (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture and hypothermia therapy can improve cerebral function,and reduce the cerebral injury through down-regulation of Bax level,and up-regulation of Bcl-2 level,which is related to reducing the levels of p-MEK2 and p-ERK1/2.The therapeutic effects on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury for combination of acupuncture with hypothermia are better than those with single application of acupuncture or hypothermia.
