Effect of Electroacupuncture on Synapse-related Proteins and Synapse Structure in the Hippocampus of Rats with Diabetic Cognitive Impairment
Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on the expression of synapse-related proteins[synapto-physin(SYN),growth-associated protein-43(GAP-43),and neuroplastin-65(NP65)]and synapse structure in the hippocampus of rats,as well as the mechanism of electroacupuncture improving diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI).Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into blank group with 10 rats and high-fat diet group with 90 rats.The rats in the high-fat diet group were used to establish a model of diabetes,and after 9 weeks of modeling,the Morris water maze test was used for the screening of DCI rats,which were then randomly divided into electroacupuncture group and model group,with 10 rats in each group.The rats in the electroacupuncture group were given acupuncture at"Yishu","Housanli"and"Neiting"and elec-troacupuncture at"Housanli"and"Neiting"for 15 minutes each time,once a day,6 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks,and the rats in the other two groups were fixed without any treatment.Random blood glucose level was recorded for each group be-fore and after modeling and after electroacupuncture intervention,and the Morris water maze test was used to assess the learn-ing and memory abilities of rats.After electroacupuncture intervention for the last time,HE staining was used to observe the pathological and morphological changes of the dentate gyrus (DG)region of the hippocampus;a transmission electron micro-scope was used to observe the changes in synapse structure in the DG region of the hippocampus;Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of SYN,GAP-43,and NP65 in hippocampal tissue,and RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of SYN,GAP-43,and NP65 in the hippocampus.Results Electroacupuncture significantly re-duced random blood glucose level and escape latency in DCI rats (P<0.05)and improved the morphology of neuronal cells in the DG region of the hippocampus,and it also significantly reduced synaptic cleft width and increased the thickness of postsyn-aptic dense material (P<0.05).In addition,electroacupuncture significantly upregulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of SYN,GAP-43,and NP65 in hippocampal tissue (P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture may improve cognitive function in DCI rats by regulating the expression of the synapse-related proteins SYN,GAP-43,and NP65,improving synapse ultrastructure,and repairing neuronal cell damage.
Diabetes mellitusCognitive impairmentElectroacupunctureSynapse structureSynapse-related proteinsLearning and memory abilities
万方数据
维普
