Electroacupuncture (EA) has been widely used for treatment of stroke, but there is little information on the effect of EA on the neuroprotective function in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of EA treatment in a TBI rat model.
Methods
Male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation, TBI control, TBI+EA treated for 30 min or TBI+EA treated for 60 min. The animals were treated with EA immediately after TBI. The EA was applied at acupuncture points GV20, GV26, LI4 and KI1 with a dense-dispersed wave, frequencies of 0.2 and 1 Hz, and amplitude of 1 mA for 30 or 60 min. Regional blood flow, cell infarction volume, extent of neuronal apoptosis, expression of cell apoptosis-associated factor transforming growth-interacting factor (TGIF) were studied, and functional outcome was assessed by running speed test. All tests except regional blood flow were performed 72 h after TBI onset.
Results
Immediately after TBI, compared with the TBI control groups, the regional blood flow was significantly increased by EA treatment for 60 min. Compared with the TBI controls 72 h after TBI, the TBI-induced run speed impairment, infarction volume, neuronal apoptosis and apoptosis-associated TGIF expression were significantly improved by EA treatment.
Conclusions
The treatment of TBI in the acute stage with EA for 60 min could increase the regional blood flow and attenuate the levels of TGIF in the injured cortex, might lead to a decrease in neuronal apoptosis and cell infarction volume, and might represent one mechanism by which functional recovery may occur.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdekoyaN., ThurmanD.J., WhiteD.D.Surveillance for traumatic brain injury. death in United States, 1989–1998. MMWR Surveill Summ2002; 51: 1–14.
2.
BullockM.R., ChesnutR., GhajarJ.Guidelines for the surgical management of traumatic brain injuryNeurosurgery2006; 58: S16.
3.
AdamidesA.A., WinterC.D., LewisP.M.Current controversies in the management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury. ANZ J Surg2006; 76: 163–74.
DemangeC., FerrandN., PrunierC.A model of partnership co-opted by the homeodomain protein TGIF and the Itch/AIP4 Ubiquitin Ligase or effective execution of TNF-α cytotoxicity. Molecular Cell2009; 36: 1073–85.
8.
SchneiderG., FriesP., Wagner-JochemD.Pathophysiological changes after traumatic brain injury: comparison of two experimental animal models by means of MRI. Magma2002; 14: 233–41.
9.
BarnesP.M., Powell-GrinerE., McFannK.Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. CDC Advance Data Report #343, 2004.
10.
BaiH.M., ZhangY.L., HeJ.W.Observation on therapeutic effect of comprehensive therapy for acute large area cerebral infarction. Zhong Guo Zhen Jiu2008; 28: 98–100.
11.
MayerD.J.Acupuncture: an evidence-based review of the clinical literature. Annu Rev Med2000; 51: 49–63.
12.
GuoJ.C., ChengJ.S., XiaY.Acupuncture therapy for stroke. In: XiaY., CaoX., WuG.C. eds. Acupuncture therapy for neurological diseases: a neurobiological view.New York: Springer-TUP, 2010: 226–62.
13.
DuY., ShiL., LiJ.Angiogenesis and improved cerebral blood flow in the ischemic boundary area were detected after electroacupuncture treatment to rats with ischemic stroke. Neurol Res2011; 33: 101–7.
14.
FengX., YangS., LiuJ.Electroacupuncture ameliorates cognitive impairment through inhibition of NF-κB-mediated neuronal cell apoptosis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats. Mol Med Rep2013; 7: 1516–22.
15.
LeeG.J., YinC.S., ChoiS.K.Acupuncture attenuates extracellular glutamate level in global ischemia model of rat. Neurol Res2010; 32: 79–83.
16.
PierceJ.E., SmithD.H., TrojanowskiJ.Q.Enduring cognitive, neurobehavioral and histopathological changes persist for up to one year following severe experimental brain injury in rats. Neuroscience1998; 87: 359–69.
17.
McIntoshT.K., VinkR., NobleL.Traumatic brain injury in the rat: characterization of a lateral fluid-percussion model. Neuroscience1989; 28: 233–44.
18.
KuoJ.R., LoC.J., ChioC.C.Brain cooling-stimulated angiogenesis and neurogenesis attenuated traumatic brain injury in rats. J Trauma2011; 69: 1467–72.
19.
BeareJ.E., MorehouseJ.R., DeVriesW.H.Gait analysis in normal and spinal contused mice using the TreadScan system. J Neurotrauma2009; 26: 2045–56.
20.
MullenR.J., BuckC.R., SmithA.M.NeuN a neuronal specific nuclear protein in vertebrates. Development1992; 116: 201–11.
ZhouF., GuoJ., ChengJ.Electroacupuncture increased cerebral blood flow and reduced ischemic brain injury: dependence on stimulation intensity and frequency. J Appl Physiol2011; 111: 1877–87.
23.
KimJ.H., ChoiK.H., JangY.J.Electroacupuncture acutely improves cerebral blood flow and attenuates moderate ischemic injury via an endothelial mechanism in mice. PLoS ONE2013; 8: e56736.
24.
HsiehC.L., ChangQ.Y., LinI.H.The study of electroacupuncture on cerebral blood flow in rats with and without cerebral ischemia. Am J Chin Med2006; 34: 351–61.
25.
ZhuJ.M., KennedyD.N., CaoX.D.Neural transmission of acupuncture signal. In: XiaY., CaoX., WuG.C. eds. Acupuncture therapy for neurological diseases: a neurobiological view.Beijing: Springer-TUP, 2010: 23–37.
26.
McIntoshT.K., SaatmanK.E., RaghupathiR.Trojanowski JQ Dorothy Russell Memorial Lecture. The molecular and cellular sequelae of experimental traumatic brain injury: pathogenetic mechanisms. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol1998; 24: 251–67.
27.
ChenA., LinZ., LanL.Electroacupuncture at the Quchi and Zusanli acupoints exerts neuroprotective role in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats via activation of the PI3 K/Akt pathway. Int J Mol Med2012; 30: 791–6.
28.
WuS.B., HeG.Y., ZhouM.Q.Effects of electroacupuncture on the apoptosis of brain tissue cells and the expression of Caspase-3 in the rats with cerebral-cardiac syndrome. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi2012; 32: 639–42.
29.
ChenX.Y., ZhangQ.L., BaiB.Effect of electroacupuncture on mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex in rats with focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu2008; 33: 107–10.
30.
SunN., ShiJ., ChenL.Influence of electroacupuncture on the mRNA of heat shock protein 70 and 90 in brain after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion of rats. J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci2003; 23: 112–15.
31.
DaiW., LiW.D., LuJ.Effect of electroacupuncture on hippocampal apoptosis and JNK signal pathway in chronic stress depression rats. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu2010; 35: 330–4.
32.
ZhangH.X., WangQ., ZhouL.Effects of scalp acupuncture on acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao2009; 7: 769–74.
33.
VlodavskyE., PalzurE., SoustielJ.F.Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces neuro-inflammation and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the rat model of traumatic brain injury. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol2006; 32: 40–50.
34.
LimS.W., KuoJ.R., WangC.C.Microglial activation induced by traumatic brain injury is suppressed by postinjury treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. J Surg Res2013; 184: 1076–84.
35.
NeumannM., WangY., KimS.Assessing gait impairment following experimental traumatic brain injury in mice. J Neurosci Methods2009; 176: 34–44.
36.
WangQ., WangF., LiX.Electroacupuncture pretreatment attenuates cerebral ischemic injury through a7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated inhibition of high-mobility group box 1 release in rats. J Neuroinflamm2012; 9: 24.
37.
YangR., HuangZ.N., ChengJ.S.Anticonvulsion effect of acupuncture might be related to the decrease of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthases. Acupunct Electrother Res Int J1999; 24: 161–7.
38.
MaJ.X., LuoY.Effects of electroacupuncture on expression of angiogenic growth factors and antiangiogenic growth factors in the brain tissue of the rat after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu2007; 27: 129–33.
39.
GaoH., GuoJ., ZhaoP.Influences of electroacupuncture on the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 following, focal cerebral ischemia in monkeys. Acupunct Electrother Res2006; 31: 259–72.
40.
CakmakY.O.A review of the potential effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on cell repair and survival: the role of heat shock proteins. Acupunct Med2010; 27: 183–6.
41.
KimM.W., ChungY.C., JungH.C.Electroacupuncture enhances motor recovery performance with brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in rats with cerebral infarction. Acupunct Med2012; 30: 222–6.
