The effect of eye-acupuncture therapy on the TNF-α levels in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of the eye-acupuncture therapy on serum TNF-a levels in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and the related mechanism. Methods Healthy SD rats were randomly divided into four groups： normal group, sham-operated control group, ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group according to body weight. Sham-operated control group, ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group were divided into the 3h group, the 24h group and the 72h group, a total of 10 groups （n=8）. To establish the rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by suture method in ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group. Eye-acupuncture was separately started immediately after reperfusion and at 30 min before sampling in the 3h eye-acupuncture group, besides, eye-acupuncture was separately taken every 12h in the 24h eye-acupuncture group and in the 72h eye-acupuncture group. The rats in normal group were not treated, those in sham-operated control group were inserted the fishing thread 1cm, and the others were identical with those in ischemia-reperfusion model group. At 3h, 24h, 72h after reperfusion, the neurophysical behaviours were accessed by ZeaLonga neurophysical impairment marks in ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group. The method of ELISA was taken to detect the change of serum TNF-a levels in rats after the eye-acupuncture therapy. Results Compared with the ischemia-reperfusion model group, the neurologic impairment score of the eye-acupuncture group decreased obviously; The levels of serum TNF-et in ischemia-reperfusion model group at 3h, 24h, 72h respectively were （ 76.803 4±18.325 ） pg/ml, （ 85.511 4±13.334 ） pg/ml, （ 86.831 4±9.232 ） pg/ml. The level of serum TNF-an normal group was （24.3044±6.511 ） pg/ml. The level of serum TNF-a in Sham-operated control group at 3 h, 24 h, 72 h respectively were （ 24.928 4±3.792 ） pg/ml, （27.533 4±5.362 ） pg/ml, （ 29.366 4±5.874 ） pg/ml. Ischemia-reperfusion model group compare with normal group and sham-operated control group, the difference were significant （P〈0.01）. The levels of serum TNF-a in rats after the eye-acupuncture therapy at 3h, 24h, 72h respectively were （40.1854±3.335） pg/ml, （48.5234±7.687） pg/ml, （51.6114± 6.403） pg/ml. Compared with ischemia-reperfusion model group, the levels of serum TNF-a were strongly reduced（P〈0.01）. Conclusion The eye-acupuncture therapy could play a role in improving cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury evidently and the mechanism was related to its reducing serum TNF-a levels. Key words: Eye acupuncture; Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury TNF-a