Abstract

Objective To observe the neurological recovery and endogenous neural stem cell proliferation in rats with spinal cord injury after acupuncture on Governing Vessel and Jiaji (Ex-B2) acupoints. Methods Forty-eight adult SD rats with severe spinal cord injury at the T10 level induced with the method of Allen were randomly divided into two groups (A and B), and each was further randomized into 4 subgroups. In group A, acupuncture was performed once daily on the Governing Vessel and Jiaji (Ex-B2) points, which was not performed in group B. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was administered intraperitoneally twice daily 3 days prior to heart perfusion for labeling the proliferating endogenous neural stem cells. Open field and inclined plane tests were performed to test the function of the rear limbs of the rats at 1, 14, 30, 60, 90 days after the surgery. The 4 subgroups of rats were sacrificed on days 14, 30, 60 and 90 after the surgery, and the number of BrdU-positive cells and their distribution in the spinal cord was observed in each subgroup using immunohistochemistry with anti-BrdU. Results The rats in group A showed significantly improved neurological function than those in group B (P<0.05). The number of BrdU-positive cells in group A was significantly different from that in group B at each of the time points (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture on the Governing Vessel and Jiaji (Ex-B2) acupoints can promote the functional recovery of the rear limbs and induce the proliferation of endogenous neural stem ceils in situ in rats following spinal cord injury. Key words: Acupuncture point; Spinal cord injury; Neural stem cells; Cell proliferation

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