Effects of acupuncture at Baihui and Shenting on the activation and differentiation of hippocampal microglia in PSCI model rats
Objective To explore the improvement effect of acupuncture therapy on post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI)in rats from the perspective of activation and differentiation of hippocampal microglia,as well as its possible mechanisms.Methods Forty male SD rats were used,with 8 rats in the sham operation group and the remaining undergoing modeling.Successful modeling was confirmed by meeting both the Zea-Longa scores and the water maze scores for PSCI in rats.After successful modeling,the rats were randomly divided into a model group and an acupuncture group.The rats in the acupuncture group received an acupuncture treatment at Baihui and Shenting points for 15 minutes per session,once a day for 6 consecutive days with a rest day in between,for a total of 4 courses,while the rats in the sham operation group and the model group were only dealt with handling.The effects of acupuncture on the learning and memory abilities of the model rats were evaluated using the Zea-Longa scores and the water maze experiment.HE staining was used to assess the hippocampal structure and the degree of neuronal damage,while immunofluorescence labeling was used to detect the activation state of specific markers for microglia(Iba-1),M1-type microglia(CD197),and M2-type microglia(Arg-1).RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of CD197 and Arg-1.Results The Zea-Longa neurological function scores showed that the neurological deficits in the acupuncture group were improved compared to those in the model group rats(P<0.05).In the water maze test,the acupuncture group had a significantly shorter average latency period in the spatial probe test compared to that in the model group(P<0.05).In the spatial exploration test,the acupuncture group crossed the target quadrant for more times than the model group(P<0.05).HE staining showed an increase in the number of neurons in the acupuncture group compared to that in the model group.Immunofluorescence and RT-PCR analysis revealed that in the acupuncture group,the expression of the microglial marker Iba-1 and M1-type marker CD197 decreased,while the M2-type marker Arg-1 increased compared to the model group(P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Baihui and Shenting points can inhibit the activation and differentiation of hippocampal microglia in PSCI model rats,promote the transformation of microglia from the M1 phenotype to the M2 phenotype,and improve their cognitive function.
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