Electroacupuncture promotes the repair of neurological function in ischemic stroke rats by inhi-biting cofilin rod formation

Abstract

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on modified neurological severity score (mNSS), cerebral infarction volume, expression of Lim domain kinase-1 (LIMK1) and slingshot homolog-1 (SSH1) proteins, Cofilin rod formation and neural cell apoptosis in rats with ischemic stroke (IS), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of IS. Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model and EA groups, with 13 rats in each group. The IS model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) according to Zea Longa's method. EA was applied to "Quchi" (LI11) and "Zusanli" (ST36) for 30 min, once a day for 7 consecutive days. The behavioral changes of mNSS were observed before and after modeling. The volume of cerebral infarction was measured by using a small animal magnetic resonance imaging. The protein expressions of LIMK1 and SSH1 in the cerebral ischemic tissues were detected by Western blot. The density of Cofilin rod and neural cell apoptosis in cerebral ischemic area were determined by immunofluorescence staining and TUNEL staining, separately. After modeling, the mNSS score, cerebral infarction volume ratio, expression level of SSH1, density of Cofilin rod and the number of apoptotic cells were significantly increased (P<0.01), while the expression level of LIMK1 protein was obviously decreased in the model group relevant to the normal group (P<0.01). After 7 days' treatment, all the increased and decreased levels of the indexes mentioned above were reversed in the EA group relevant to the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05). EA of LI11 and ST36 can improve neurological function and reduce infarction range in MCAO rats, which may be related to its action in regulating the expression of LIMK1 and SSH1, inhibiting the formation of Cofilin rod and reducing apoptosis of neural cells.