Functional Recovery with Electro-Acupuncture Stimulation in an Mecp2-Knockout Rat Model of Rett Syndrome
Yanhong Sun,
Zhifang Chen,
Yi Xu,
Yuefang Zhang,
Zhilei Ge,
Chenglie Lin,
Yi Zhou,
Fangfei Zhao,
Meiling Yan,
Xinyi Liu,
Ying Zhu,
Jimin Gao,
Hongyi Li,
Lihua Wang,
Jun Hu,
Zilong Qiu,
Chunhai Fan
Affiliations
Yanhong Sun
Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhang Jiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Zhifang Chen
Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Yi Xu
Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China; School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Yuefang Zhang
Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Zhilei Ge
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Chenglie Lin
College of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
Yi Zhou
College of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
Fangfei Zhao
Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Meiling Yan
Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Xinyi Liu
Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Ying Zhu
Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhang Jiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Jimin Gao
School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Hongyi Li
Cardiology Department, Beijing Hospital, Beijing 100730, China
Lihua Wang
Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhang Jiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Jun Hu
Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhang Jiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
Zilong Qiu
Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Corresponding authors.
Chunhai Fan
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Corresponding authors.
Rett syndrome is a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder that lacks effective treatments. Although deep-brain stimulation can alleviate some symptoms in Rett model mice, this interventional manipulation requires deliberate surgical operations. Here, we report that electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) can ameliorate symptoms of an Mecp2-knockout rat model of Rett syndrome from the remote acupoints Baihui (GV 20), Yongquan (KI 1), and Shenmen (HT 7). We find that EAS not only prolongs the survival time of Rett rats, but also improves their behavior ability, including locomotion, motor coordination, and social interaction. Neural activation was observed in the substantia nigra of the midbrain, corpus striatum, and cerebral cortex of wild-type and Rett model rats, as reflected by the increased expression of the c-Fos protein. Hence, EAS provides a potential promising therapeutic tool for treating neurodevelopmental diseases.
