Acupuncture and neuroregeneration in ischemic stroke

Gastrodin combined with electroacupuncture prevents the development of cerebral ischemia via rebalance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-6 in stroke model rats

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used to treat various diseases, including cerebral ischemia. The specific molecular mechanism of TCM in the treatment of cerebral ischemia, however, is still unclear. This study investigated the effects of gastrodin, electroacupuncture and their combination on cerebral ischemic rats. We used Nissl staining, immunohistochemical staining and immunoblotting to detect the expression changes of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the frontal cortex. The results showed that the combination therapy of gastrodin and electroacupuncture significantly increased the number of Nissl-positive neurons and improved cell morphology compared with other groups. Mechanistically, we found that the combination of gastrodin and electroacupuncture treatment group can restore the abnormal morphology of neuronal cells caused by cerebral ischemia by rebalancing the expression levels of BDNF and IL-6. Our research indicates that gastrodin combined with electroacupuncture has a significant protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury in rats, possibly by regulating the expression of BDNF and IL-6. This combination therapy is superior to single-drug or electroacupuncture therapy.

From inflammatory signaling to neuronal damage: Exploring NLR inflammasomes in ageing neurological disorders

The persistence of neuronal degeneration and damage is a major obstacle in ageing medicine. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors detect environmental stressors and trigger the maturation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines that can cause neuronal damage and accelerate cell death. NLR (NOD-like receptors) inflammasomes are protein complexes that contain NOD-like receptors. Studying the role of NLR inflammasomes in ageing-related neurological disorders can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of neurodegeneration. This includes investigating their activation of inflammasomes, transcription, and capacity to promote or inhibit inflammatory signaling, as well as exploring strategies to regulate NLR inflammasomes levels. This review summarizes the use of NLR inflammasomes in guiding neuronal degeneration and injury during the ageing process, covering several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral neuropathies. To improve the quality of life and slow the progression of neurological damage, NLR-based treatment strategies, including inhibitor-related therapies and physical therapy, are presented. Additionally, important connections between age-related neurological disorders and NLR inflammasomes are highlighted to guide future research and facilitate the development of new treatment options.

Acupuncture for poststroke coma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Despite being widely applied in clinical practice, the wake-promoting effect of acupuncture in poststroke coma patients remains controversial.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of poststroke coma.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for treating poststroke coma were identified in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CNKI, WanFang and VIP up to 25 November 2023. The main outcomes were Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, awakening ratio and clinically effective ratio. Stata 17 and Review Manager 5.4 software were used for mate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 34 RCTs involving 2757 patients were included. GCS (WMD = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.21) and NIHSS score (WMD = -2.84; 95% CI: -3.84 to -1.84) were significantly increased in acupuncture group compared with control group. Acupuncture combined with routine treatment may be better than routine treatment in improving the awakening ratio (RR= 1.65; 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.91) and the clinically effective ratio (RR= 1.20; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.27). Some methodological flaws were identified in the included studies, including non-implementation of blinding, inappropriate disease assessment and heterogeneous interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

The existing evidence suggests that acupuncture combined with conventional treatment may be an effective treatment for poststroke coma patients. In the meantime, more high-quality RCTs are needed to demonstrate these findings due to methodological weaknesses like randomization, blinding, heterogeneous interventions and long-term follow-up.

Pyramidal and parvalbumin neurons modulate the process of electroacupuncture stimulation for stroke rehabilitation

Electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation has been shown to be beneficial in stroke rehabilitation; however, little is known about the neurological mechanism by which this peripheral stimulation approach treats for stroke. This study showed that both pyramidal and parvalbumin (PV) neuronal activity increased in the contralesional primary motor cortex forelimb motor area (M1FL) after ischemic stroke induced by focal unilateral occlusion in the M1FL. EA stimulation reduced pyramidal neuronal activity and increased PV neuronal activity. These results were obtained by a combination of fiber photometry recordings, in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological recordings, and immunofluorescence. Moreover, EA was found to regulate the expression/function of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) altered by stroke pathology. In summary, our findings suggest that EA could restore disturbed neuronal activity through the regulation of the activity of pyramidal and PV neurons. Furthermore, NMDARs we shown to play an important role in EA-mediated improvements in sensorimotor ability during stroke rehabilitation.

Effectiveness of acupuncture in the governor vessel and Yangming meridian for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture of the governor vessel and Yangming meridian are widely used in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the optimal meridian for acupuncture in the treatment of AIS remains uncertain.

PURPOSE

This network meta-analysis study aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture at governor vessel and Yangming meridian in the treatment of AIS.

METHODS

All relevant studies published in CNKI, WANFANG, VIP, Sinomed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Pub Med, and Embase before January 13, 2024 were systematically retrieved. The two researchers independently screened the studies and extracted the data. Cochrane ROB tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies, and Stata 14.0 software was used to conduct a network meta-analysis of neurological deficit score, activities of daily living (ADL), clinical effective rate and Fugl-meyer motor function evaluation (FMA).

RESULTS

A total of 401 studies were obtained, and 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values of the four outcome indexes were all ranked by "Governor vessel acupuncture + Conventional neurology treatment(GVAc+CT) > Yangming meridian acupuncture + Conventional neurology treatment(YMAc+CT) > Conventional neurology treatment (CT)". Compared to YMAc+CT and CT, GVAc+CT had the best effect in reducing the degree of neurological deficit score (SMD = -0.72, 95%CI = [-1.22,-0.21] and SMD = -1.07,95%CI = [-1.45,-0.69], respectively) and promoting the recovery of ADL((SMD = 0.59,95%CI = [0.31,0.88] and SMD = 0.96,95%CI = [0.70,1.21], respectively). Compared to CT, GVAc+CT also had a better clinical effective rate in the treatment of AIS (RR = 1.14,95%CI = [1.04,1.25]).

CONCLUSIONS

Governor vessel acupuncture combined with conventional neurology treatment has the best effect in reducing the degree of neurological deficit score and promoting the recovery of ADL in AIS patientscompared to YMAc+CT and CT. Governor Vessel acupuncture is the most preferable acupoint scheme for clinical acupuncture treatment of AIS.

Effect of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training on sensory impairment of patients with stroke: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The refractory and disabling nature of sensory disorders after stroke seriously affects patients' daily lives and reduces hospital turnover. Acupuncture, as an alternative therapy, is commonly used in combination with rehabilitation training to improve sensory disorders. To compare the effects of different acupuncture-related treatments combined with rehabilitation training on sensory impairment and the daily living ability of patients with stroke, we conducted a network meta-analysis to provide evidence-based findings for clinical practice.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of sensory disorders in patients with stroke were systematically retrieved from several databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal(VIP), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biological Medical (CBM), PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Clinical trials. The retrieval period ranged from January 2012 to December 2023. Two independent reviewers screened the included literature, extracted the data, and assessed the risk quality using Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 and ReviewManager 5.4.1. Stata16.0 software was employed for data analysis. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42023389180.

RESULTS

After screening, 20 studies were included, involving a total of 1999 subjects. The network meta-analysis results indicate that, compared to standard rehabilitation, acupuncture plus massage plus rehabilitation showed the most significant reduction in Numbness Syndrome Scores (MD = -0.71(-1.11,-0.31)). Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation demonstrated the most substantial improvement in Sensory Impairment Scores (MD = -0.59,(-0.68,-0.51)) and daily living ability of patients (MD = 17.16,(12.20,22.12)).

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to standard rehabilitation, the combination of acupuncture-related treatments and modern rehabilitation training not only improves the symptoms of sensory impairment and numbness after stroke but also enhances the daily living ability of patients, especially when acupuncture is combined with rehabilitation. However, further demonstration is required to strengthen these conclusions.

Role of Chinese Acupuncture in the Treatment for Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Older Patients With Cancer: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Older patients with cancer experience cognitive impairment and a series of neurocognitive symptoms known as chemobrain due to chemotherapy. Moreover, older populations are disproportionately affected by chemobrain and heightened negative mental health outcomes after cytotoxic chemical drug therapy. Chinese acupuncture is an emerging therapeutic option for chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in older patients with cancer, despite limited supporting evidence.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to directly contribute to the existing knowledge of this novel Chinese medicine mode in older patients with cancer enrolled at the Department of Oncology/Chinese Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, China, thereby establishing the basis for further research.

METHODS

This study involves a 2-arm, prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded clinical trial in older patients with cancer experiencing chemobrain-related stress and treated with Chinese acupuncture from September 30, 2023, to December 31, 2025. We will enroll 168 older patients with cancer with clinically confirmed chemobrain. These participants will be recruited through screening by oncologists for Chinese acupuncture therapy and evaluation. Electroacupuncture will be performed by a registered practitioner of Chinese medicine. The electroacupuncture intervention will take about 30 minutes every session (2 sessions per week over 8 weeks). For the experimental group, the acupuncture points are mainly on the head, limbs, and abdomen, with a total of 6 pairs of electrically charged needles on the head, while for the control group, the acupuncture points are mainly on the head and limbs, with only 1 pair of electrically charged needles on the head.

RESULTS

Eligible participants will be randomized to the control group or the experimental group in 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome of this intervention will be the scores of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The secondary outcomes, that is, attentional function and working memory will be determined by the Digit Span Test scores. The quality of life of the patients and multiple functional assessments will also be evaluated. These outcomes will be measured at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after the randomization.

CONCLUSIONS

This efficacy trial will explore whether Chinese electroacupuncture can prevent chemobrain, alleviate the related symptoms, and improve the quality of life of older patients with cancer who are undergoing or are just going to begin chemotherapy. The safety of this electroacupuncture intervention for such patients will also be evaluated. Data from this study will be used to promote electroacupuncture application in patients undergoing chemotherapy and support the design of further real-world studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05876988; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05876988.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/53853.

Global trends and development of acupuncture for stroke: A review and bibliometric analysis

The objective of this review is to elaborate on the status, hotspots, and trends of researches on acupuncture for stroke over the past 26 years. Publications about acupuncture for stroke were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection, and these papers were published up to December 31, 2022. A bibliometric analysis of acupuncture for stroke was conducted by CiteSpace (6.2.R4) and VOSviewer (1.6.17). In this study, VOSviewer was used for visual analysis of countries, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and co-cited references. CiteSpace was used to draw a keyword burst map and a co-cited reference burst map. A total of 534 papers were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. The number of papers per year showed a rapid upward trend. The most productive country and institution in this field were China (452) and the Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (43), respectively. Tao Jing had the highest number of articles (34), and EZ Longa was the most popular author (129 co-citations). Neural Regeneration Research (51) was the most productive journal, and Stroke (1346) was the most co-cited journal. An paper written by EZ Longa was the most influential reference, with the highest citation count. The hotspots and frontiers of this area of research were focused on the mechanisms of acupuncture, especially its neural regenerative or neuroprotective effects. This study used CiteSpace and VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis to provide researchers with information on the research status, hotspots, and trends in acupuncture for stroke research over the past 26 years.

Effects of combined electroacupuncture and medication therapy on the RhoA/ROCK-2 signaling pathway in the striatal region of rats afflicted by cerebral ischemia

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture(EA), gastrodin(Gas), and their combination on the signaling pathways involving Ras homologous gene family member A (RhoA) and Rho-associated frizzled helix protein kinase (ROCK-2) within the striatal region of rats subjected to cerebral ischemia. Additionally, we aim to elucidate the therapeutic effects and potential underlying mechanisms associated with the concurrent application of electroacupuncture and medication in the treatment of cerebral ischemia.

METHODS

Rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups, namely, the sham operation (Sham) group, model group, EA group, Gas group, and the EA combined with Gas group (referred to as the "EA+Gas group"). Each group consisted of ten rats. Following the induction of cerebral ischemia, the EA group and EA+Gas group received EA stimulation at the Baihui(GV20) and Zusanli(ST36) acupoints for 30 min per session, administered once daily for 14 consecutive days. The Gas group and EA+Gas group were intraperitoneally injected with Gas at a dosage of 10 mg/kg, also administered once daily for 14 consecutive days. Nissl staining was employed to observe morphological alterations in the striatal nerve cells of rats in each group. Immunohistochemistry and western blot techniques were employed to evaluate the expression levels of striatal RhoA and ROCK-2 proteins.

RESULTS

In comparison to the Sham group, the model group exhibited a substantial reduction in the number of striatal nerve cells on the ischemic side, accompanied by notable changes in cell morphology, characterized by reduced cytoplasm, defective and atrophied cytosol, solidified nuclei, loosely arranged cells, and enlarged intercellular spaces. Additionally, there was a notable increase in the positive expression of RhoA and ROCK-2. In contrast, when compared to the model group, the EA, Gas, and EA+Gas groups demonstrated an elevated number of normal nerve cells within the ischemic striatal region, with a significant improvement in cell count and morphology. Furthermore, positive expression levels of RhoA and ROCK-2 were notably reduced in these groups. Compared with the EA group or the GAS group, the number of normal nerve cells in the striatum on the ischemic side of the EA+GAS group was further increased, and the positive expression level of RhoA and ROCK-2 were both further reduced.

CONCLUSION

The protective mechanism underlying the therapeutic efficacy of EA combined with Gas against cerebral ischemic striatal injury in rats may be associated with the inhibition of the activation of the RhoA/ROCK-2 signaling pathway. Importantly, the therapeutic effects observed with the combination of electroacupuncture and medication were superior to those achieved with EA alone or the sole administration of Gas.

Acupuncture for brain diseases: Conception, application, and exploration

The brain is probably the most complex organ in the human body. It has been the hot spot and direction of brain science research all over the world to deeply study the pathogenesis of various kinds of brain diseases and find effective treatment methods. Acupuncture is a nonpharmacological therapy of traditional Chinese medicine originating from ancient clinical practice. The research on the treatment of brain diseases by acupuncture has been constantly enriched and updated with the promotion of interdisciplinary research. In order to account for the current achievements in the field of acupuncture for brain diseases, this article reviews it in terms of conception, application, and exploration. Based on the literature review, we found that in the past decades, acupuncture has received widespread attention worldwide and many literatures have reported the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of brain diseases. Presently, the conception, application, and exploration of acupuncture in the treatment of brain diseases have evolved from empirical medicine to evidence-based medicine and precision medicine, and are experiencing a deeper understanding of the information about acupuncture regulating the brain function based on interdisciplinary research.

Electroacupuncture at ST36 acupoint regulates stem cells during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

BACKGROUND

Electroacupuncture (EA) is given to assist in the treatment of MS, which is an effective therapeutic method. However, the therapy mechanism of EA related to stem cells in the treatment of MS is not yet known. In this study, we used a classic animal model of multiple sclerosis: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) to evaluate the therapeutic effect of EA at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint in EAE and shed light on its potential roles in the effects of stem cells in vivo.

METHODS

The EAE animal models were established. From the first day after immunization, EAE model mice received EA at ST36 acupoint, named the EA group. The weight and clinical score of the three groups were recorded for 28 days. The demyelination, inflammatory cell infiltration, and markers of neural stem cells (NSCs), hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were compared.

RESULTS

We showed that EAE mice treated with EA at ST36 acupoint, were suppressed in demyelination and inflammatory cell infiltration, and thus decreased clinical score and weight loss and mitigated the development of EAE when compared with the EAE group. Moreover, our data revealed that the proportions of NSCs, HSCs, and MSCs increased in the EA group compared with the EAE group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that EA at ST36 acupoint was an effective nonpharmacological therapeutic protocol that not only reduced the CNS demyelination and inflammatory cell infiltration in EAE disease but also increased the proportions of various stem cells. Further study is necessary to better understand how EA at the ST36 acupoint affects EAE.

Assessment of corticospinal tract remodeling based on diffusion tensor imaging in the treatment of motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke by acupuncture: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in improving motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke (IS) and to investigate the effect of acupuncture on corticospinal tract (CST) remodeling using diffusion tensor imaging.

METHODS

Published literature on the effect of acupuncture on CST remodeling after IS using diffusion tensor imaging in the form of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were systematically retrieved and screened from Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, CNKI, CBM, VIP, and Wanfang databases from inception to December 2022. The methodological quality of the included studies was critically and independently evaluated by 2 reviewers using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for RCTs. The correlated data were extracted using the pre-designed form, and all analyses were performed using Reviewer Manager version 5.4.

RESULTS

Eleven eligible RCTs involving 459 patients were eventually included. The combined evidence results showed that the acupuncture group significantly improved patients' National Institute of Health stroke scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale, and Barthel index compared with conventional medical treatment. The acupuncture group significantly promoted remodeling of the CST, as reflected by an increase in fractional anisotropy (FA) throughout the CST [MD = 0.04, 95% CI (0.02, 0.07), P = .001], and in addition, subgroup analysis showed that the acupuncture group significantly improved FA in the infarct area compared with conventional medical treatment at around 4 weeks [MD = 0.04, 95% CI (0.02, 0.06), P = .0002] and FA of the affected cerebral peduncle [MD = 0.03, 95% CI (0.00, 0.07), P = .02]. Also, compared with conventional medical treatment, the acupuncture group significantly increased average diffusion coefficient of the affected cerebral peduncle [MD = -0.21, 95% CI (-0.28, -0.13), P < .00001].

CONCLUSION

The results of the meta-analysis suggest that acupuncture therapy can improve the clinical manifestations of motor dysfunction in patients after IS and advance a possibly beneficial effect on CST remodeling. However, due to the number and quality of eligible studies, these findings need to be further validated in more standardized, rigorous, high-quality clinical trials.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture in Parkinson's disease with dysphagia

Objective

The systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate acupuncture's efficacy and safety in treating dysphagia in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods

We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science Journal Database (VIP), Wan-fang Database, and the China Biomedical Literature Service System (CBM) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of acupuncture alone or in combination with control treatment in improving dysphagia by October 2022. The degree of dysphagia was the primary outcome indicator, with secondary outcomes including serum albumin (ALB) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels, the incidence of pneumonia, and adverse events. Two investigators independently extracted information according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data synthesis was calculated by RevMan (V.5.4.1) software.

Results

This study included ten randomized controlled trials with 724 patients. Most RCTs have a high or uncertain risk of bias due to the lack of a blinded design. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with control treatment was superior to control treatment alone in improving Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) scores (MD: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.16, 1.81; P < 0.00001) and reducing Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) scores (MD: -3.08; 95% CI: -4.01, -2.15; P < 0.00001). Acupuncture combined with control therapy has a more significant benefit in improving the clinical efficiency of dysphagia in PD (RR: 1.40; 95%CI: 1.25, 1.58; P < 0.00001). Compared to the control group without acupuncture, acupuncture improved the nutritional status of patients and increased their serum ALB (MD: 3.38, 95%CI: 1.83, 4.92, P < 0.00001) and Hb levels (MD: 7.66; 95%CI: 5.57, 9.75; P < 0.00001). Three RCTs reported that the rate of pulmonary infections in the acupuncture group was lower than without acupuncture intervention (RR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.63; P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Acupuncture could be recommended as an adjunctive treatment for dysphagia in PD. However, due to the high risk of bias in the included studies, more high-quality evidence is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for dysphagia in PD.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022370221.

Effect of aging on the cerebral metabolic mechanism of electroacupuncture treatment in rats with traumatic brain injury

Objective

Aging has great influence on the clinical treatment effect of cerebrovascular diseases, and evidence suggests that the effect may be associated with age-related brain plasticity. Electroacupuncture is an effective alternative treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we aimed to explore the effect of aging on the cerebral metabolic mechanism of electroacupuncture to provide new evidence for developing age-specific rehabilitation strategies.

Methods

Both aged (18 months) and young (8 weeks) rats with TBI were analyzed. Thirty-two aged rats were randomly divided into four groups: aged model, aged electroacupuncture, aged sham electroacupuncture, and aged control group. Similarly, 32 young rats were also divided into four groups: young model, young electroacupuncture, young sham electroacupuncture, and young control group. Electroacupuncture was applied to "Bai hui" (GV20) and "Qu chi" (LI11) for 8 weeks. CatWalk gait analysis was then performed at 3 days pre- and post-TBI, and at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after intervention to observe motor function recovery. Positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed at 3 days pre- and post-TBI, and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after intervention to detect cerebral metabolism.

Results

Gait analysis showed that electroacupuncture improved the forepaw mean intensity in aged rats after 8 weeks of intervention, but after 4 weeks of intervention in young rats. PET/CT revealed increased metabolism in the left (the injured ipsilateral hemisphere) sensorimotor brain areas of aged rats during the electroacupuncture intervention, and increased metabolism in the right (contralateral to injury hemisphere) sensorimotor brain areas of young rats.

Results

This study demonstrated that aged rats required a longer electroacupuncture intervention duration to improve motor function than that of young rats. The influence of aging on the cerebral metabolism of electroacupuncture treatment was mainly focused on a particular hemisphere.

The mechanisms underlying the actions of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction pretreatment against neurological deficits after ischemic stroke in mice: The mediation of glymphatic function by aquaporin-4 and its anchoring proteins

Ischemic stroke (IS) has been associated with an impairment in glymphatic function. Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) is widely used in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that Xuefu Zhuyu decoction pretreatment could attenuate early neurological deficits after ischemic stroke by enhancing the function of the glymphatic system. To prove our hypothesis, we carried out temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion surgery on C57BL/6 mice and then measured neurological score, infarct size and performed hematoxylin-eosin staining to assess stroke outcomes after 24 h of reperfusion. Subsequently, we injected fluorescent tracers in to the cisterna magna and evaluated tracer distribution in coronal brain sections. The polarization of aquaporin-4 (AQP4), colocalization of aquaporin-4, α-dystroglycan, β-dystroglycan and agrin were determined by immunofluorescence. Our research showed that pretreatment with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction significantly alleviated neurological scores, neurological deficits and pathological abnormalities in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Importantly, Xuefu Zhuyu decoction pretreatment enhanced cerebrospinal fluid influx, protected aquaporin-4 depolarization and promoted the colocalization of aquaporin-4 with its anchoring proteins in the brain. Our findings highlight novel mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction pretreatment on ischemic stroke-induced brain damage through the glymphatic system. Xuefu Zhuyu decoction pretreatment may offer a promising approach to slow the onset and progression of ischemic stroke.

The treatment of post-stroke dysarthria with a combination of different acupuncture types and language rehabilitation training: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background

This study used a network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of various different acupuncture types and language rehabilitation training on post-stroke dysarthria (PSD), and examined the possible mechanisms involved. There are often clinical studies comparing the effects of different acupuncture methods on dysarthria after stroke. The efficacy of these methods can be ranked by network meta-analysis. This is necessary for clinical acupoints selection. The results of this study illustrated the comparison of the therapeutic effects of 6 different acupuncture types, which can provide some reference for clinical acupoints selection and research.

Methods

A comprehensive search for clinical studies related to the use of acupuncture to treat PSD was conducted in eight English and Chinese databases. Patients were divided into six groups based on the acupoints selected, namely, tongue, neck, scalp, body, combination, and traditional acupuncture. The recovery of neurological function in the patients was assessed based on the curative impact and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool and the STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) criteria. A network meta-analysis was performed using the network-meta package of Stata 15.1 software based on frequency. The heterogeneity test, consistency test, head-to-head mixed comparison, efficacy ranking, and publication bias study were all performed.

Results

A total of 47 studies were finally included. There was a total of 4,197 patients in the eligible studies. The model for network meta-analysis proved robust, with minimal heterogeneity and high consistency. Combined acupuncture combined with language rehabilitation training was the most effective in treating dysarthria symptoms, followed by tongue acupuncture (TA) and nape acupuncture (NA). In addition, the combined effect of acupuncture and language training was superior to that of acupuncture alone. In terms of recovery of nerve function, traditional acupuncture and body acupuncture were more effective. To facilitate the recovery of nerve function, increasing the frequency of acupoints is necessary.

Conclusions

Combined acupuncture may have the most beneficial healing effect on PSD, followed by acupuncture of the tongue and the nape of the neck. In terms of recovery of nerve function, traditional acupuncture and body acupuncture may have more effective.

Acupuncture as a post-stroke treatment option: A narrative review of clinical guideline recommendations

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture may be useful to treat the various clusters of symptoms occurring after a stroke. The use of evidence to underpin clinical practice and treatment guidelines (CPGs and TGs respectively) varies from country to country and may affect what recommendations are made by guideline developers.

PURPOSE

To examine the extent to which international clinical and treatment guidelines on post-stroke treatment mention the role of acupuncture and to identify what symptoms they recommend for its use.

METHOD

Scoping of national and international websites of CPGs and TGs r on the after care and rehabilitation of stroke patients provided by professional and government organisations was conducted. The presence/absence of recommendations and the underpinning evidence was appraised for the use of acupuncture for symptoms following stroke.

RESULTS

Of 84 CPGs and TGs on post stroke after-care identified from 27 countries between 2001 and 2021, 49 made statements about acupuncture. Positive recommendations on the use of acupuncture were identified for 15 symptom areas from 11 countries for: stroke rehabilitation, dysphagia, shoulder pain, motor recovery, walking, balance, spasticity, upper limb extremity impairment, post-stroke pain, central post stroke pain, cognitive disorder, depression, and sleep problems. Thirty-five CPGs (2001-2018) from 18 countries published over the same period were identified that made no mention of acupuncture and therefore no recommendations were made on its use.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently, evidence used by international guideline developers varies and this influences whether a positive or negative recommendation is made. Recommendations to use acupuncture should be based on the best available evidence which has been quality appraised.

Effects of Acupuncture in Ischemic Stroke Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Acupuncture is a well-known treatment option for ischemic stroke recovery, but evidence of its effectiveness remains limited. This is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for ischemic stroke rehabilitation.

Methods

Rehabilitation training was provided to the control group. In acupuncture arm 1, these acupoints were derived from the ancient books, including GV20 (baihui), GV26 (shuigou), PC9 (zhongchong), ST6 (jiache), ST4 (dicang), LI15 (jianyu), LI11 (quchi), LI4 (hegu), GB30 (huantiao), GB31 (fengshi), GB34 (yanglingquan), and GB39 (xuanzhong). In acupuncture arm 2, the acupoints used were GV20 (baihui), PC6 (neiguan), LI11 (quchi), LI10 (shousanli), SJ5 (waiguan), LI4 (hegu), GB30 (huantiao), ST36 (zusanli), GB34 (yanglingquan), SP6 (sanyinjiao), ST41 (jiexi), and LR3 (taichong), which were extracted from Acupuncture and Moxibustion Science. After acupuncture, the needles were left in for 30 min and manually manipulated every 10 min. The three groups received treatment once a day, 5 times a week for 2 weeks. The primary outcome was the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the secondary outcomes were the Barthel Index (BI) and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Outcomes were measured in patients both before and after treatment.

Results

A total of 497 patients with ischemic stroke were randomized into either arm 1 (159 cases), arm 2 (173 cases), or the control group (165 cases). After 2 weeks of treatment, the NIHSS scores for arm 1 were lower than those of the control group (P = 0.017); the BI scores were higher in arm two than that in the control group at T2 (P = 0.016) and follow-up (P = 0.020). Additionally, there was no significant difference between arm one and the control group for either the BI scores or the MAS scores (P > 0.05) and no significant difference between arm two and the control group for the MAS scores or the NIHSS scores (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The clinical efficacy of arm 1 and arm 2 (acupuncture groups) was superior to that of the control group, but there was no difference between the effects of the two acupuncture groups.

Clinical Trial Registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier: ChiCTR-IOR-16008627.

Acupuncture-Moxibustion Combined with Rehabilitation Training Is Conducive to Improving the Curative Effect, Cognitive Function, and Daily Activities of Patients with Cerebral Infarction

Objective

To elucidate the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion combined with rehabilitation training (RHT) on the curative effect, cognitive function (CF), and activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with cerebral infarction (CI).

Methods

This study enrolled 150 patients with CI admitted to the Wuhan Sixth Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University from June 2020 to July 2021. Among them, 80 patients who were treated with acupuncture-moxibustion combined with RHT were included in the research group, and 70 patients who received acupuncture-moxibustion alone were included in the control group. The efficacy, CF, and ADL were observed in both groups, and the influences of the two therapies on serum uric acid (UA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and cystatin C (Cys-C) were compared. Among the various indexes, the CF of patients was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the ADL was evaluated by the Barthel index.

Results

After treatment, the research group presented significantly better efficacy, CF, and ADL than the control group, with lower levels of serum UA, hs-CRP, and Cys-C than the control group and before treatment.

Conclusion

Acupuncture-moxibustion combined with RHT can inhibit serum UA, hs-CRP, and Cys-C levels of patients with CI while improving the curative effect, CF, and ADL, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Revealing the Neuroimaging Mechanism of Acupuncture for Poststroke Aphasia: A Systematic Review

Background

Aphasia is a common symptom in stroke patients, presenting with the impairment of spontaneous speech, repetition, naming, auditory comprehension, reading, and writing function. Multiple rehabilitation methods have been suggested for the recovery of poststroke aphasia, including medication treatment, behavioral therapy, and stimulation approach. Acupuncture has been proven to have a beneficial effect on improving speech functions in repetition, oral speech, reading, comprehension, and writing ability. Neuroimaging technology provides a visualized way to explore cerebral neural activity, which helps reveal the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy. In this systematic review, we aim to reveal and summarize the neuroimaging mechanism of acupuncture therapy on poststroke aphasia to provide the foundation for further study.

Methods

Seven electronic databases were searched including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang databases, and the Chinese Scientific Journal Database. After screening the studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we summarized the neuroimaging mechanism of acupuncture on poststroke aphasia, as well as the utilization of acupuncture therapy and the methodological characteristics.

Result

After searching, 885 articles were retrieved. After removing the literature studies, animal studies, and case reports, 16 studies were included in the final analysis. For the acupuncture type, 10 studies used manual acupuncture and 5 studies used electroacupuncture, while body acupuncture (10 studies), scalp acupuncture (7 studies), and tongue acupuncture (8 studies) were applied for poststroke aphasia patients. Based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technologies, 4 neuroimaging analysis methods were used including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), seed-based analysis, and independent component analysis (ICA). Two studies reported the instant acupuncture effect, and 14 studies reported the constant acupuncture's effect on poststroke aphasia patients. 5 studies analyzed the correlation between the neuroimaging outcomes and the clinical language scales.

Conclusion

In this systematic review, we found that the mechanism of acupuncture's effect might be associated with the activation and functional connectivity of language-related brain areas, such as brain areas around Broca's area and Wernicke's area in the left inferior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and inferior frontal gyrus. However, these studies were still in the preliminary stage. Multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCT) with large sample sizes were needed to verify current evidence, as well as to explore deeply the neuroimaging mechanisms of acupuncture's effects.

Scalp Electroacupuncture Promotes Angiogenesis after Stroke in Rats by Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signal Pathway

Background

Scalp acupuncture is a contemporary acupuncture method based on the fundamental theories of traditional acupuncture, which has been widely used in patients with stroke in China. However, the effectiveness is controversial due to lack of solid experimental evidence.

Methods

In this study, a rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) was established by the middle cerebral artery occlusion/recirculation. The efficacy of scalp acupuncture against CIRI was evaluated by the mNSS scores, TTC staining for brain slices, and laser Doppler perfusion imaging. Immunohistochemical staining for angiogenetic factors indicated the vascularization after CIRI, including VEGF, Ang2, and bFGF. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and p-GSK3β (ser9)/VEGF pathway in the injured brain tissues was assessed by western blotting and qRT-PCR.

Results

On the 7, 14, and 21 days after CIRI, scalp acupuncture could reduce the mNSS scores, decrease the cerebral infarction area, and accelerate the recirculation of ischemic brain tissues. VEGF, FLK1, bFGF, and Ang2 were upregulated on both the mRNA and protein levels in the ischemic brain tissues of the AC group, suggesting that the recirculation might result from angiogenesis, which was also confirmed with the IHC staining in the angiogenetic markers of VEGF, Ang2, and bFGF. Moreover, Wnt3a, β-catenin, and cyclin D1 were also upregulated on both the mRNA and protein levels in the ischemic brain tissues of the AC group on day 7, 14, and 21, indicating that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was activated after the treatment of scalp acupuncture. In contrast, dikkoppf-1 (DKK1) pretreatment, a specific inhibitor for the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, inactivated the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway and exacerbated the infarct size induced by the cerebral IR injury on day 7.

Conclusion

Together, our findings demonstrated a mechanism whereby scalp acupuncture led to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, promoting angiogenetic factor expression and restoring blood perfusion in the ischemic zone.

Combination of stem cell therapy and acupuncture to treat ischemic stroke: a prospective review

Stroke is the second leading cause globally that leads to severe disability and death. Stem cell therapy has been developed over the recent years to treat stroke and diminish the mortality and disability rate of brain injuries. Acupuncture, which can activate endogenous recovery via physical stimuli, has been applied to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of stroke patients. Attempts have been made to combine stem cell therapy and acupuncture to treat stroke patients and have shown the promising results. This prospective review will look into the possible mechanisms of stem cell therapy and acupuncture and intend to undercover the potential benefit of the combined therapy. It intends to bridge the modern emerging stem cell therapy and traditional acupuncture at cellular and molecular levels and to demonstrate the potential benefit to improve clinical outcomes.

Acupuncture Reduces the Risk of Dysphagia in Stroke Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study

Background: Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) affects the quality of life in stroke patients, impairs their rehabilitation ability, and causes other complications following stroke. Currently, there is currently some understanding of PSD risk factors, but its protective factors remain largely unknown. Objective: To analyze the effects of acupuncture (AP) on dysphagia in stroke patients and explore its potential as a preventive therapy. Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of stroke from 2010 to 2019 were selected and followed until 2020, utilizing factors such as age, gender, stroke location, stroke type, and baseline comorbidity. To compare the incidence of dysphagia, equal numbers of stroke patients treated with and without AP (n = 1,809) were matched by 1:1 propensity scoring. The Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier method were used to assess the risk of dysphagia as an outcome measure. Results: The stroke patients treated with AP had a lower risk of dysphagia after adjusting for age, gender, stroke location, stroke type, and baseline comorbidity [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval = 0.37-0.49] compared with those in the non-AP cohort. AP also decreased the risk of PSD among different gender groups. The risk ratios were AHR = 0.45 and AHR = 0.33 for males and females, respectively. AP also reduced the risk for PSD among different age groups. The risk ratios were AHR = 0.20, AHR = 0.37, AHR = 0.41, and AHR = 0.45 for the 18-39, 40-59, 60-79, and >80 years-old groups. Regarding stroke types (ischemic, hemorrhagic, and mixed type), patients treated with AP had a lower risk (AHR = 0.47, 0.28 and 0.17, respectively). With respect to stroke location, the risk of PSD in AP-treated patients was decreased regardless of location: brain stem (AHR = 0.41), diencephalon (AHR = 0.13), or multiple lesions (AHR = 0.40), the risk of PSD in AP-treated patients was decreased. For all baseline comorbidities, AP attenuated the risk of dysphagia. The cumulative incidence of dysphagia was remarkably lower in the AP group than in the non-AP group (log-rank test, P = 0.000). Limitations: First, this was a single-center clinical retrospective study. Second, we did not classify the severity of stroke and dysphagia. Third, all data were extracted manually. Lastly, the sample size was relatively small. Thus, future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to verify our findings. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment attenuates the risk of dysphagia in stroke patients. Future research should increase the sample size and elaborate further on the details of the AP protocol.

Cellular and Molecular Targets for Non-Invasive, Non-Pharmacological Therapeutic/Rehabilitative Interventions in Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND

Cerebral circulation delivers the blood flow to the brain through a dedicated network of sanguine vessels. A healthy human brain can regulate cerebral blood flow (CBF) according to any physiological or pathological challenges. The brain is protected by its self-regulatory mechanisms, which are dependent on neuronal and support cellular populations, including endothelial ones, as well as metabolic, and even myogenic factors.

OBJECTIVES

Accumulating data suggest that "non-pharmacological" approaches might provide new opportunities for stroke therapy, such as electro-/acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hypothermia/cooling, photobiomodulation, therapeutic gases, transcranial direct current stimulations, or transcranial magnetic stimulations. We reviewed the recent data on the mechanisms and clinical implications of these non-pharmaceutical treatments.

METHODS

To present the state-of-the-art for currently available non-invasive, non-pharmacological-related interventions in acute ischemic stroke, we accomplished this synthetic and systematic literature review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Principles Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

RESULTS

The initial number of obtained articles was 313. After fulfilling the five steps in the filtering/selection methodology, 54 fully eligible papers were selected for synthetic review. We enhanced our documentation with other bibliographic resources connected to our subject, identified in the literature within a non-standardized search, to fill the knowledge gaps. Fifteen clinical trials were also identified.

DISCUSSION

Non-invasive, non-pharmacological therapeutic/rehabilitative interventions for acute ischemic stroke are mainly holistic therapies. Therefore, most of them are not yet routinely used in clinical practice, despite some possible beneficial effects, which have yet to be supplementarily proven in more related studies. Moreover, few of the identified clinical trials are already completed and most do not have final results.

CONCLUSIONS

This review synthesizes the current findings on acute ischemic stroke therapeutic/rehabilitative interventions, described as non-invasive and non-pharmacological.

Electroacupuncture Pretreatment Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats Through Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1-Mediated Anti-apoptosis via Inhibiting NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Our previous study showed that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment elicited protective effect on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) in rats, at least partly, which was associated with transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)-regulated anti-oxidant stress and anti-inflammation. In this study, we further investigated the possible contribution of TRPV1-mediated anti-apoptosis in EA pretreatment-evoked neuroprotection in CIRI. After EA pretreatment at Baihui (GV20), bilateral Shenshu (BL23) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints, transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h followed by reperfusion for 6 h in rats. Then, infarct volume, nerve cell injury, neuronal apoptosis, NF-κB signaling activation, and expression of TRPV1 were evaluated by TTC staining, Hematoxylin-Eosin staining, transmission electron microscopy, immunochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot, respectively. The presented data showed that EA pretreatment significantly reduced infarct volume, relieved nerve cell injury, decreased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3, increased the level of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, inhibited NF-κB (p65) transcriptional activity, and curbed TRPV1 expression in MCAO rats. By contrast, enhancement of TRPV1 expression accompanying capsaicin application, the specific TRPV1 agonists, markedly accelerated nerve cell damage, aggravated neuronal apoptosis, prompted nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65), resulting in the reversion of EA pretreatment-evoked neuroprotective effect in MCAO rats. Thus, we conclude that EA pretreatment-induced downregulation of neuronal TRPV1 expression plays an anti-apoptosis role through inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby protecting MCAO rats from cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Electroacupuncture Preconditioning Reduces Oxidative Stress in the Acute Phase of Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion in Rats by Regulating Iron Metabolism Pathways

Background

Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ferroptosis caused by iron overload after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion is considered a common cause of oxidative stress. Many recent studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) can regulate the expression of inflammatory factors, and the use of electroacupuncture preconditioning can produce a protective effect, which can reduce injury after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. We aimed to assess whether EA could be used to reduce oxidative stress.

Methods

The oxidative stress level of rats during the acute phase of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion was assessed with and without preconditioning with EA. Molecular biology methods were used to detect iron metabolism and oxidative stress-related proteins.

Results

Rats that had EA preconditioning had lower infarct volumes than rats in the control group. Furthermore, western blot analysis showed that the expression of iron metabolism-related protein FPN-1 was higher in the intervention group than in the model group after reperfusion. In this regard, further investigation also demonstrated higher expression of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase-4, and lower reactive oxygen species values in the brain tissue of the EA group were compared with those of the control group rats.

Conclusions

Electroacupuncture preconditioning can reduce oxidative stress after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by regulating iron overload.

Contralateral S1 function is involved in electroacupuncture treatment-mediated recovery after focal unilateral M1 infarction

Acupuncture at acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) has been shown to promote functional recovery after stroke. However, the contribution of the contralateral primary sensory cortex (S1) to recovery remains unclear. In this study, unilateral local ischemic infarction of the primary motor cortex (M1) was induced by photothrombosis in a mouse model. Electroacupuncture (EA) was subsequently performed at acupoints GV20 and GV14 and neuronal activity and functional connectivity of contralateral S1 and M1 were detected using in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological recording techniques. Our results showed that blood perfusion and neuronal interaction between contralateral M1 and S1 is impaired after unilateral M1 infarction. Intrinsic neuronal excitability and activity were also disturbed, which was rescued by EA. Furthermore, the effectiveness of EA treatment was inhibited after virus-mediated neuronal ablation of the contralateral S1. We conclude that neuronal activity of the contralateral S1 is important for EA-mediated recovery after focal M1 infarction. Our study provides insight into how the S1–M1 circuit might be involved in the mechanism of EA treatment of unilateral cerebral infarction. The animal experiments were approved by the Committee for Care and Use of Research Animals of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (approval No. 20200407009) April 7, 2020.

Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis of Potential mRNA and miRNA Regulatory Networks in Mice With Ischemic Stroke Treated by Electroacupuncture

Background: The complicated molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on ischemic stroke are still unclear. Recently, more evidence has revealed the essential role of the microRNA (miRNA)–mRNA networks in ischemic stroke. However, a systematic analysis of novel key genes, miRNAs, and miRNA–mRNA networks regulated by EA in ischemic stroke is still absent.

Methods: We established a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model and performed EA therapy on ischemic stroke mice. Behavior tests and measurement of infarction area were applied to measure the effect of EA treatment. Then, we performed RNA sequencing to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional enrichment between the EA and control groups. In addition, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was built, and hub genes were screened by Cytoscape. Upstream miRNAs were predicted by miRTarBase. Then hub genes and predicted miRNAs were verified as key biomarkers by RT-qPCR. Finally, miRNA–mRNA networks were constructed to explore the potential mechanisms of EA in ischemic stroke.

Results: Our analysis revealed that EA treatment could significantly alleviate neurological deficits in the affected limbs and reduce infarct area of the MCAO model mice. A total of 174 significant DEGs, including 53 upregulated genes and 121 downregulated genes, were identified between the EA and control groups. Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were associated with the FOXO signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, T-cell receptor signaling pathway, and other vital pathways. The top 10 genes with the highest degree scores were identified as hub genes based on the degree method, but only seven genes were verified as key genes according to RT-qPCR. Twelve upstream miRNAs were predicted to target the seven key genes. However, only four miRNAs were significantly upregulated and indicated favorable effects of EA treatment. Finally, comprehensive analysis of the results identified the miR-425-5p-Cdk1, mmu-miR-1186b-Prc1, mmu-miR-434-3p-Prc1, and mmu-miR-453-Prc1 miRNA–mRNA networks as key networks that are regulated by EA and linked to ischemic stroke. These networks might mainly take place in neuronal cells regulated by EA in ischemic stroke.

Conclusion: In summary, our study identified key DEGs, miRNAs, and miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks that may help to facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of EA treatment on ischemic stroke.

Comparison between acupuncture and antidepressant therapy for the treatment of poststroke depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In this paper, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to compare the efficacies of acupuncture and antidepressant therapy for the treatment of poststroke depression (PSD).

METHODS

The research team searched RCTs published on PubMed; Medline; Cochrane library; Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI); Wanfang; Embase; Scopus, and Sinomed from their respective establishments to January 2019. We evaluated the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores, Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) scores, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and total clinical efficacy using fixed effects models.

RESULTS

Fourteen RCTs, representing a total of 1124 patients, were studied. Results showed that acupuncture was more effective in improving HAMD scores at 3 weeks after administration (mean difference [MD] = -1.17, 95%CI = -2.18 to -0.16), at 4 weeks (MD = -4.44, 95% CI = -5.64 to -3.23), at 6 weeks (MD = -1.02, 95% CI = -1.68 to -0.36), and at 8 weeks (MD = -4.33, 95% CI = -4.96 to -3.70). Similarly, acupuncture more dramatically decreased NIHSS scores (MD = -2.31, 95% CI = -2.53 to -2.09), and TESS scores (MD = -4.70, 95% CI = -4.93 to -4.48) than conventional Western medicinal therapy. Further, the total clinical efficacy in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than in the antidepressants group (risk ratio [RR] = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.08-1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that acupuncture not only can reduce the severity of PSD, but also has significant effects on decreasing the appearance of other adverse events.

The role of carbon dioxide in acute brain injury

Carbon dioxide is a common gas in the air which has been widely used in medical treatment. A carbon dioxide molecule consists of two oxygen atoms and one carbon atom through a covalent bond. In the body, carbon dioxide reacts with water to produce carbonic acid. In healthy people, carbon dioxide is maintained within a narrow range (35–45 mmHg) by physiological mechanisms. The role of hypocapnia (partial pressure of carbon dioxide < 35 mmHg) and hypercapnia (partial pressure of carbon dioxide > 45 mmHg) in the nervous system is intricate. Past researches mainly focus on the effect of hypocapnia to nerve protection. Nevertheless, Hypercapnia seems to play an important role in neuroprotection. The mechanisms of hypocapnia and hypercapnia in the nervous system deserve our attention. The purpose of this review is to summarize the effect of hypocapnia and hypercapnia in stroke and traumatic brain injury.

Functional characterization of nociceptive mechanisms involved in fibromyalgia and electroacupuncture

The diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain in diseases such as fibromyalgia (FM) are lacking effective standardised protocols that can be widely accessed and implemented by healthcare professionals across the globe. Persistent hyperalgesia and allodynia are characteristic symptoms of FM. This disease has indicated a refractory tendency to conventional treatment ventures, largely resultant from a lack of etiological and pathogenic understanding of the disease development. Emerging evidence indicates that the central nervous system (CNS) plays a critical role in the amplification of pain signals and the neurotransmitters associated therewith. We examined the contribution of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel and the major nociceptive components in response to fibromyalgia-like pain in an intermittent cold-stress (ICS) model, in the prefrontal cortex, somatosensory cortex, hippocampus and thalamus areas of the brain. The use of TRPV1 gene deletion mice served to elucidate the role of the TRPV1 receptor in the development and expression of FM-like pain. The results suggest that TRPV1 upregulation is central to the sustained sensation of FM related hyperalgesia. Furthermore, the potential therapeutic benefits of electroacupuncture (EA) at bilateral ST36 acupoint were analysed in order to identify the analgesic effects and mechanism associated with this therapy. The findings indicate that EA treatment successfully attenuated both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and suggests that a definitive underlying mechanism of neuromodulation through EA is responsible for providing analgesic benefits to patients suffering from FM.

Electroacupuncture reduces scopolamine-induced amnesia via mediating the miR-210/SIN3A and miR-183/SIN3A signaling pathway

Background

The expression of SIN3A is closely correlated with electroacupuncture (EA) treatment efficacy of scopolamine-induced amnesia (SIA), but its underlying mechanisms remain to be further explored.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to analyze the expression of candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) and SIN3A mRNA in a rat model of SIA. Western blot was carried out to evaluate the differential expression of SIN3A proteins under different circumstances. Luciferase assay was used to explore the inhibitory role of certain miRNAs in SIN3A expression. A novel object recognition (NOR) test was performed to assess the memory function of SIA rats undergoing EA treatment. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to evaluate the expression of SIN3A in the hippocampus of SIA rats.

Results

Rno-miR-183-5p, rno-miR-34c-3p and rno-miR-210-3p were significantly up-regulated in SIA rats treated with EA. In addition, rno-miR-183-5p and rno-miR-210-3p exerted an inhibitory effect on SIN3A expression. EA treatment of SIA rats effectively restored the dysregulated expression of rno-miR-183-5p, rno-miR-210-3p and SIN3A. EA treatment also promoted the inhibited expression of neuronal IEGs including Arc, Egr1, Homer1 and Narp in the hippocampus of SIA rats. Accordingly, the NOR test also confirmed the effect of EA treatment on the improvement of memory in SIA rats.

Conclusion

In summary, the findings of this study demonstrated that scopolamine-induced amnesia was associated with downregulated expression of miR-210/miR-183 and upregulated expression of SIN3A. Furthermore, treatment with EA alleviated scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats and was associated with upregulated expression of miR-210/miR-183 and downregulated expression of SIN3A.

Electroacupuncture Pretreatment Elicits Tolerance to Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion through Inhibition of the GluN2B/m-Calpain/p38 MAPK Proapoptotic Pathway

Background

As one of the first steps in the pathology of cerebral ischemia, glutamate-induced excitotoxicity progresses too fast to be the target of postischemic intervention. However, ischemic preconditioning including electroacupuncture (EA) might elicit cerebral ischemic tolerance through ameliorating excitotoxicity.

Objective

To investigate whether EA pretreatment based on TCM theory could elicit cerebral tolerance against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and explore its potential excitotoxicity inhibition mechanism from regulating proapoptotic pathway of the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptor (GluN2B).

Methods

The experimental procedure included 5 consecutive days of pretreatment stage and the subsequent modeling stage for one day. All rats were evenly randomized into three groups: sham MCAO/R, MCAO/R, and EA+MCAO/R. During pretreatment procedure, only rats in the EA+MCAO/R group received EA intervention on GV20, SP6, and PC6 once a day for 5 days. Model preparation for MCAO/R or sham MCAO/R started 2 hours after the last pretreatment. 24 hours after model preparation, the Garcia neurobehavioral scoring criteria was used for the evaluation of neurological deficits, TTC for the measurement of infarct volume, TUNEL staining for determination of neural cell apoptosis at hippocampal CA1 area, and WB and double immunofluorescence staining for expression and the cellular localization of GluN2B and m-calpain and p38 MAPK.

Results

This EA pretreatment regime could improve neurofunction, decrease cerebral infarction volume, and reduce neuronal apoptosis 24 hours after cerebral I/R injury. And EA pretreatment might inhibit the excessive activation of GluN2B receptor, the GluN2B downstream proapoptotic mediator m-calpain, and the phosphorylation of its transcription factor p38 MAPK in the hippocampal neurons after cerebral I/R injury.

Conclusion

The EA regime might induce tolerance against I/R injury partially through the regulation of the proapoptotic GluN2B/m-calpain/p38 MAPK pathway of glutamate.

Electroacupuncture for post-stroke dysphagia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) requires effective treatment as it may cause aspiration pneumonia, dehydration, or malnutritution, which can increase the length of hospital stay as well as mortality. In the field of stroke, electroacupuncture (EA) has been widely used, and a number of clinical research papers have been published regarding its effects. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of EA for the treatment of PSD.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials evaluating the use of EA in PSD will be included in this meta-analysis. The following electronic databases will be searched from inception to July 31, 2020, using terms relating to EA and PSD: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Excerpta Medica Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Korean Medical Database, KoreaMed, the National Digital Science Library, and the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System. Two reviewers will independently search these databases, select studies for inclusion, and evaluate the quality of the studies. Methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (version 6.0). The primary outcome will be the total effective rate; secondary outcomes will include results of other assessments of dysphagia such as the water drinking test scale and videofluoroscopic swallowing study. We will also investigate the number and severity of adverse events. The Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan) software (version 5.3.5) will be employed to assess bias risk, data integration risk, and meta-analysis risk. Mean difference and standardized mean difference will be used to represent continuous data, while risk ratios will be used for pooled binary data.

RESULTS

This study will provide a comprehensive review and evaluation of the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of EA as a treatment for PSD.

CONCLUSION

This study will clarify whether EA could be an effective and safe treatment for PSD.

Wake-Promoting Effect of Bloodletting Puncture at Hand Twelve Jing-Well Points in Acute Stroke Patients: A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect and safety of bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-Well points (HTWPs) in acute stroke patients with conscious disturbance.

METHODS

In this multi-center and randomized controlled trial, 360 patients suffered from ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with conscious disturbance within 48 h from the onset of symptom were divided into bloodletting (180 cases) and control (180 cases) groups using a block randomization. Patients in both groups received routine Western medicine, and patients in the bloodletting group received additional bloodletting puncture at HTWPs on admission immediately before conventional treatment. The primary outcome measure was Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and the secondary outcomes included blood pressure, respiratory rate and pulse rate. All variables were evaluated at baseline (before bloodletting), 0 (after bloodletting immediately), 15, 30, 50 and 80 min post bloodletting.

RESULTS

At 80 min post bloodletting, the proportion of patients with improved consciousness in the bloodletting group was greater than the control group (P<0.05). In the separate analysis of moderate consciousness disturbance subgroup, bloodletting therapy benefited ischemic patients, and improved the eye and language response of GCS score at 15, 30, 50, 80 min post bloodletting (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No significant differences were observed regarding the secondary outcomes between two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The bloodletting puncture at HTWPs was safe and could improve conscious levels of ischemic stroke patients, highlighting a first-aid intervention for acute stroke. (Registration No. ChiCTR-INR-16009530).

Electroacupuncture on Trigeminal Nerve-Innervated Acupoints Ameliorates Poststroke Cognitive Impairment in Rats with Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion: Involvement of Neuroprotection and Synaptic Plasticity

Poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a severe sequela of stroke. There are no effective therapeutic options for it. In this study, we evaluated whether electroacupuncture (EA) on the trigeminal nerve-innervated acupoints could alleviate PSCI and identified the mechanisms in an animal model. The male Sprague-Dawley rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was used in our study. EA was conducted on the two scalp acupoints, EX-HN3 (Yintang) and GV20 (Baihui), innervated by the trigeminal nerve, for 14 sessions, daily. Morris water maze and novel object recognition were used to evaluate the animal's cognitive performance. Neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity biomarkers were analyzed in brain tissues. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury significantly impaired spatial and cognition memory, while EA obviously reversed cognitive deterioration to the control level in the two cognitive paradigms. Moreover, EA reversed the I/R injury-induced decrease of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase B, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 1, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor, γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, neuronal nuclei, and postsynaptic density protein 95 expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These results suggest that EA on the trigeminal nerve-innervated acupoints is an effective therapy for PSCI, in association with mediating neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity in related brain regions in the MCAO rat model.

Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment to Prevent Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in preventing cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and explore its underlying mechanism. Design: A randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Setting/Location: Subjects were recruited from Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea Subjects: A total of 50 patients admitted with acute SAH. Interventions: The study group received acupuncture treatments (n = 25), while the control group underwent mock transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and sham acupuncture (n = 25) six times/week for 2 weeks. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of delayed ischemic neurologic deficit (DIND), and secondary measurements included angiographic vasospasm, vasospasm-related infarction, modified Rankin Scale score, and plasma nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels. Results: The study group treated with acupuncture showed a lower incidence of DIND (9.1%) than the control group (20.8%); however, this difference in the incidence of DIND was not statistically significant. The study group demonstrated better clinical outcomes, especially in functional recovery. Significant alterations in plasma NO and ET-1 levels after the 2-week intervention were observed only in the study group. Conclusions: Their study shows that acupuncture treatment improved functional recovery after SAH and could potentially prevent cerebral vasospasm. These effects could be attributed to the recovery of endothelial dysfunction by acupuncture through modulating the plasma NO and ET-1 levels. The study protocol has been registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02275949).

Effect of Electroacupuncture at GV20 on Sleep Deprivation-Induced Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

Accumulating evidence suggests that sleep deprivation (S-Dep) is a critical risk factor for depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been reported to ameliorate posttraumatic stress disorder- (PSTD-) like behavior and enhance hippocampal neurogenesis. However, whether EA treatment has any beneficial effect on S-Dep-induced depression-like behavior is still unknown. In the present study, we focused on whether EA at Baihui (GV20) can ameliorate the deterioration effect of S-Dep in mice. Mice were randomly divided into normal, S-Dep, S-Dep + EA, and S-Dep + sham EA groups. Cognitive behavior test and in vitro assay were performed separately to avoid the influence of behavior test on synaptic transmission and protein expression. Depression-like behaviors were determined by forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and Morris water maze (MWM). Neurogenesis was identified by BrdU, DCX, and NeuN immunofluorescence staining. In vitro long-term potentiation was detected by high frequency stimulation (HFS) at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses in hippocampal slices. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) protein expression level were assayed by western blot. Our results indicated that D-Sep mice demonstrated depression-like behaviors determined by prolonged immobility duration in FST and TST; D-Sep mice also manifested spatial memory retention deficit in MWM. Furthermore, EA treatment ameliorated D-Sep-induced depression-like behaviors and spatial memory retention deficit. Mechanically, EA treatment alleviated neuron progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation, ameliorated the field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) slope impaired by S-Dep, and elevated BDNF/TrkB protein expression. Taken together, our data suggested that EA treatment has a protective effect on S-Dep-induced depression-like behavior and cognitive impairment, which may be through regulating BDNF/TrkB protein expression.

Therapeutic effects of acupuncture on sensory ataxia after a cerebral hemorrhage: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Sensory ataxia is a dysfunction of dynamic balance due to impairment of sensory input into the control of movement. The sequelae of stroke, such as hemiplegia, somatosensory impairment, and impaired balance may cause significant disability and may affect patients' quality of life. In addition to rehabilitation programs, acupuncture therapy has been applied to stroke patients and is recommended as a complementary therapy in stroke rehabilitation.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 70-year-old male had a sudden onset of conscious loss. The brain computed tomography showed intracerebral hemorrhage with subdural hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

DIAGNOSIS

Intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke was diagnosed.

INTERVENTIONS

He received craniotomy with hematoma evacuation immediately and waked up 3 weeks with bilateral hemiparesis (right side weaker than left), impaired position sensation and tactile perception in the right lower limb. He then began to receive rehabilitation therapy and had significant improvement in muscle strength and static balance, but no improvement in tactile perception of position sense in the right lower limbs and reached plateau. Then he received acupuncture therapies to Yongquan (KI1), Tongtien (BL7) and Houxi (SI3).

OUTCOMES

The patient's walking ability recovered after receiving rehabilitation programs for 3 years, but the impairment in proprioception and dynamic balance persisted. The perception and dynamic balance had significantly improved after patient received acupuncture therapy, especially the acupuncture point of Yongquan (KI1).

CONCLUSION

The clinical effect of acupuncture in combination with conventional rehabilitation therapy for neurological impairment recovery, improving activity of daily living performance and improving post-stroke imbalance was explored. We hope that this report can facilitate further well controlled quantitative objective studies on a big size of samples.

Effect of Acupuncture on the p38 Signaling Pathway in Several Nervous System Diseases: A Systematic Review

Acupuncture is clinically used to treat various diseases and exerts positive local and systemic effects in several nervous system diseases. Advanced molecular and clinical studies have continually attempted to decipher the mechanisms underlying these effects of acupuncture. While a growing understanding of the pathophysiology underlying several nervous system diseases shows it to be related to inflammation and impair cell regeneration after ischemic events, the relationship between the therapeutic mechanism of acupuncture and the p38 MAPK signal pathway has yet to be elucidated. This review discusses the latest advancements in the identification of the effect of acupuncture on the p38 signaling pathway in several nervous system diseases. We electronically searched databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from their inception to April 2020, using the following keywords alone or in various combinations: "acupuncture", "p38 MAPK pathway", "signaling", "stress response", "inflammation", "immune", "pain", "analgesic", "cerebral ischemic injury", "epilepsy", "Alzheimer's disease", "Parkinson's disease", "dementia", "degenerative", and "homeostasis". Manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture confer positive therapeutic effects by regulating proinflammatory cytokines, ion channels, scaffold proteins, and transcription factors including TRPV1/4, Nav, BDNF, and NADMR1; consequently, p38 regulates various phenomena including cell communication, remodeling, regeneration, and gene expression. In this review article, we found the most common acupoints for the relief of nervous system disorders including GV20, GV14, ST36, ST37, and LI4. Acupuncture exhibits dual regulatory functions of activating or inhibiting different p38 MAPK pathways, contributing to an overall improvement of clinical symptoms and function in several nervous system diseases.

A mimetic peptide of α2,6-sialyllactose promotes neuritogenesis

Oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. With the aim to find reagents that reduce oxidative stress, a phage display library was screened for peptides mimicking α2,6-sialyllactose (6'-SL), which is known to beneficially influence neural functions. Using Sambucus nigra lectin, which specifically binds to 6'-SL, we screened a phage display library and found a peptide comprising identical sequences of 12 amino acids. Mimetic peptide, reverse peptide and scrambled peptide were tested for inhibition of 6'-SL binding to the lectin. Indeed, lectin binding to 6'-SL was inhibited by the most frequently identified mimetic peptide, but not by the reverse or scrambled peptides, showing that this peptide mimics 6'-SL. Functionally, mimetic peptide, but not the reverse or scrambled peptides, increased viability and expression of neural cell adhesion molecule L1 in SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells, and promoted survival and neurite outgrowth of cultured mouse cerebellar granule neurons challenged by H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. The combined results indicate that the 6'-SL mimetic peptide promotes neuronal survival and neuritogenesis, thus raising hopes for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Shantou University Medical College, China (approval No. SUMC 2014-004) on February 20, 2014.

Effect of Acupuncture on Oxidative Stress Induced by Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

In this article, we review how acupuncture regulates oxidative stress to prevent ischemia–reperfusion injury. We electronically searched databases, including PubMed, Clinical Key and the Cochrane Library, from their inception to November 2019 by using the following medical subject headings and keywords: acupuncture, ischemia-reperfusion injury, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, and antioxidants. We concluded that acupuncture is effective in treating oxidation after ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition to increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and downregulating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), acupuncture also repairs the DNA, lipids, and proteins attacked by ROS and mediates downstream of the ROS pathway to apoptosis.

Neuroprotection of Cyperus esculentus L. orientin against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced brain injury

Orientin is a flavonoid monomer. In recent years, its importance as a source of pharmacological active substance is growing rapidly due to its properties such as anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-apoptosis, anti-radiation, anti-tumor, and anti-aging. However, the neuroprotective effects of Orientin on stroke injury have not been comprehensively evaluated. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate the neuroprotective capacity and the potential mechanisms of Cyperus esculentus L. orientin (CLO) from Cyperus esculentus L. leaves against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury using standard orientin as control. For in vitro studies, we treated HT22 cells with CoCl₂ as an in vitro ischemic injury model. HT22 cells in the control group were treated with CoCl₂. For in vivo studies, we used rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion, and animals that received sham surgery were used as controls. We found that CLO protected CoCl₂-induced HT22 cells against ischemia/reperfusion injury by lowering lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species formation as well as decreasing protein oxidation. However, CLO did not reduce the release of lactate dehydrogenase nor increase the activity of superoxide dismutase. Results showed that CLO could decrease neurological deficit score, attenuate brain water content, and reduce cerebral infarct volume, leading to neuroprotection during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Our studies indicate that CLO flavonoids can be taken as a natural antioxidant and bacteriostastic substance in food and pharmaceutical industry. The molecular mechanisms of CLO could be at least partially attributed to the antioxidant properties and subsequently inhibiting activation of casepase-3. All experimental procedures and protocols were approved on May 16, 2016 by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Xinjiang Medical University of China (approval No. IACUC20160516-57).

Soluble Nogo receptor 1 fusion protein protects neural progenitor cells in rats with ischemic stroke

Soluble Nogo66 receptor-Fc protein (sNgR-Fc) enhances axonal regeneration following central nervous system injury. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of sNgR-Fc on the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells. The photothrombotic cortical injury model of ischemic stroke was produced in the parietal cortex of Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats with photothrombotic cortical injury were randomized to receive infusion of 400 μg/kg sNgR-Fc (sNgR-Fc group) or an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline (photothrombotic cortical injury group) into the lateral ventricle for 3 days. The effects of sNgR-Fc on the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural progenitor cells were examined using BrdU staining. Neurological function was evaluated with the Morris water maze test. To further examine the effects of sNgR-Fc treatment on neural progenitor cells, photothrombotic cortical injury was produced in another group of rats that received transplantation of neural progenitor cells from the hippocampus of embryonic Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were then given an infusion of phosphate-buffered saline (neural progenitor cells group) or sNgR-Fc (sNgR-Fc + neural progenitor cells group) into the lateral ventricle for 3 days. sNgR-Fc enhanced the proliferation of cultured neural progenitor cells in vitro as well as that of endogenous neural progenitor cells in vivo, compared with phosphate-buffered saline, and it also induced the differentiation of neural progenitor cells into neurons. Compared with the photothrombotic cortical injury group, escape latency in the Morris water maze and neurological severity score were greatly reduced, and distance traveled in the target quadrant was considerably increased in the sNgR-Fc group, indicating a substantial improvement in neurological function. Furthermore, compared with phosphate-buffered saline infusion, sNgR-Fc infusion strikingly improved the survival and differentiation of grafted neural progenitor cells. Our findings show that sNgR-Fc regulates neural progenitor cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Therefore, sNgR-Fc is a potential novel therapy for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, The protocols were approved by the Committee on the Use of Live Animals in Teaching and Research of the University of Hong Kong (approval No. 4560-17) in November, 2015.

Mechanisms Involved in the Neuroprotection of Electroacupuncture Therapy for Ischemic Stroke

Stroke is one of the main causes of death all over the world. As the combination of acupuncture and electric stimulation, electroacupuncutre is a safe and effective therapy, which is commonly applied in ischemic stroke therapy in both experimental studies and clinical settings. The review was performed via searching for related articles in the databases of OVID, PUBMED, and ISI Web of Science from their respective inceptions to May 2018. In this review, we summarized the mechanism of EA for ischemic stroke via a series of factors, consisting of apoptosis related-factors, inflammatory factors, autophagy-related factors, growth factors, transcriptional factors, cannabinoid CB1 receptors, and other factors. In summary, EA stimulation may effectively alleviate ischemic brain injury via a series of signal pathways and various other factors.

Naringenin targets on astroglial Nrf2 to support dopaminergic neurons

Astroglia serve as a critical role in metabolic and neurotrophic support to neurons. The loss of astroglia-derived neurotrophic effects could be a primary contributor to Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, understanding astroglia functions is an important strategy for enhancing neuronal survival. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a key role in neuronal resistance to oxidative stress and glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Balancing oxidative stress by up-regulation of Nrf2 has been demonstrated to be effective in neurodegenerative disease treatment. Naringenin (NAR), a dietary flavonoid, displays anti-oxidant, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying NAR-mediated neuroprotection against neurodegeneration remain unelucidated. Here, the present study investigated whether NAR promoted astroglial neurotrophic effects to support neurons and the underlying mechanisms as well. In primary rat midbrain neuron-glia co-cultures, NAR conferred neurotrophic effects to support dopaminergic (DA) neurons survival in the concentration- and time-dependent manners. Furtherly, astroglia were essential for NAR-mediated neurotrophic actions. Also, NAR elicited astrogliosis and neurotrophic factors release in primary neuron-glia co-cultures and astroglia-enriched cultures. Mechanistically, astroglial Nrf2 activation participated in NAR-mediated neurotrophic actions to support DA neurons evidenced by the following observations: 1) NAR increased Nrf2 mRNA and protein expressions both in neuron-glia and astroglia-enriched cultures; 2) Nrf2-siRNA inhibited NAR-mediated astrogliosis and neurotrophic factors release; 3) astroglial Nrf2-siRNA abolished NAR-mediated neurotrophic effects on DA neurons. Together, this study demonstrates NAR enhanced astroglial neurotrophic effects on DA neurons through the regulation of Nrf2 activation, and these findings might open new potential promising avenues for neurotrophic factor-based treatment of PD.

High-frequency (50 Hz) electroacupuncture ameliorates cognitive impairment in rats with amyloid beta 1-42-induced Alzheimer's disease

Acupuncture has been shown to ameliorate cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease. Acupoints and stimulation frequency influence the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture. Rat models of Alzheimer's disease were established by injecting amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ_1–42) into the bilateral lateral ventricles. Electroacupuncture at 2, 30, and 50 Hz was carried out at Baihui (GV20; 15° obliquely to a depth of 2 mm) and Shenshu (BL23; perpendicularly to 4–6 mm depth), once a day for 20 minutes (each), for 15 days, taking a break every 7 days. The Morris water maze test was conducted to assess the learning and memory. The expression levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), pSer9-GSK-3β, pTyr216-GSK-3β, amyloid precursor protein and Aβ_1–40 in the hippocampus were determined by western blot assay. Results demonstrated that electroacupuncture treatment at different frequencies markedly improved learning and memory ability, increased synaptic curvatures, decreased the width of synaptic clefts, thickened postsynaptic densities, and downregulated the expression of GSK-3β, amyloid precursor protein, and Aβ_1–40. pSer9-GSK-3β expression markedly decreased, while pTyr216-GSK-3β expression increased. High-frequency (50 Hz) electroacupuncture was more effective than low (2 Hz) or medium-frequency (30 Hz) electroacupuncture. In conclusion, electroacupuncture treatment exerts a protective effect against Aβ_1–42-induced learning and memory deficits and synapse-ultrastructure impairment via inhibition of GSK-3β activity. Moreover, high-frequency electroacupuncture was the most effective therapy.