Effects of electroacupuncture "Shuigou" on expression of soluble guanylate cyclase(sGC) and protein kinase G (PKG)in vascular smooth muscle of cerebral artery in rats with cerebral infarction

Abstract

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), cyclic guanosine phosphate (cGMP) and protein kinase G (PKG) of cerebral vascular smooth muscle in cerebral infarction (CI) rats, so as to study its dynamic regulation mechanism. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (n=10), sham operation (n=40), model (n=40), and EA (n=40) groups, and the latter three groups were further di-vided into 3, 6, 12 and 24 h subgroups (n=10 in each subgroup). The CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). EA(15 Hz, 2 mA)was applied to "Shuigou" (GV26) for 20 min. The cGMP, sGC and PKG activity and expression levels in the vascular smooth muscle of cerebral artery were detected using ELISA and Western blot, respectively. After modeling, the immunoactivity and activities of sGC at 3 h, PKG at 3 and 6 h and cGMP from 3 h to 24 h were ob-viously decreased in the model group relevant to the normal control and sham-operation groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). After the intervention, the expression levels and activities of sGC at 3 h, PKG at 3 and 6 h and cGMP at 3 and 6 h were apparently up-regulated in the EA group relevant to the model group (P<0.05). EA intervention can significantly inhibit the down-regulation of sGC, PKG and cGMP expression of cerebral artery smooth muscle in MCAO model rats, which plays an important role in inhibiting cerebral artery smooth muscle spasm after ischemia, maintaining normal vascular function and state, and thus increasing blood perfusion around cerebral infarction area. However, acupuncture effect has a certain time-effectiveness.