Zhongguo quanke yixue (Nov 2023)
Effect of Electroacupuncture on BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/Akt Pathway and Hippocampal Neuronal Protection in Rats with Learning and Memory Impairment after Ischemia Reperfusion
Abstract
Background Learning and memory impairment is a common dysfunction after stroke, which seriously affects the overall recovery of patients. Electroacupuncture at Shenting and Baihui has definite efficacy in patients with cognitive dysfunction after stroke, but its mechanism of action remains uncertain. Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on hippocampal neuronal protection and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) /tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) /phosphatidylinositol-3-hydroxykinase (PI3K) /protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway in rats with learning and memory impairment after middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion (MCAO/R) . Methods A total of 60 8-week-old healthy male SD rats were selected from May 2021 to March 2022, and 24 rats were divided into the blank group (n=12) and sham operation group (n=12), and the other 36 rats were constructed as MCAO/R model. The 24 rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into the model group (n=12) and electroacupuncture group (n=12). The electroacupuncture treatment was performed at Shenting and Baihui points in the electroacupuncture group. Zea-Longa score was used to observe the degree of neurological impairment in each group. Spatial probe test was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory ability of the rats. TTC staining was used to observe the volume of brain infarction in rats. RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA levels of BDNF, TrkB, PI3K and Akt, Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of BDNF and TrkB and the levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt. Results Zea-Longa score of the model group and electroacupuncture group was significantly different from the blank group and sham operation group at 2 h after surgery (P<0.05), and Zea-Longa score of the model group was significantly different from the blank group, sham operation group and electroacupuncture group at 7 and 14 days after treatment (P<0.05). During the 9th to 13th day of treatment, the escape latency in the model group was higher than the sham operation group (P<0.05), and lower in the electroacupuncture group than the model group (P<0.05). The frequency of crossing the effective region of the platform in the model group was lower than the blank group and sham operation group (P<0.05), and higher in the electroacupuncture group than the model group (P<0.05). The volume of cerebral infarction in blank group, sham operation group, model group and electroacupuncture group was 0, 0, (36.7±6.3) % and (24.0±2.2) %, respectively, and the volume of cerebral infarction in the electroacupuncture group was lower than the model group (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of BDNF, TrkB, PI3K and Akt in the model group were lower than the blank group and sham operation group (P<0.05), and higher in the electroacupuncture group than the model group (P<0.05). Compared with sham operation group, the protein levels of BDNF and TrkB (P<0.01, P<0.001), the levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt (P<0.01, P<0.05) in model group were decreased; compared with the model group, the protein levels of BDNF and TrkB and the levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in electroacupuncture group were increased (P<0.05) . Conclusion Electroacupuncture may reduce the symptom of neurological function deficits and improve the learning and memory ability of rats after cerebral ischemia reperfusion by upregulating the expression of BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/Akt pathway related proteins.
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