Effects of electroacupuncture on proliferation and differentiation of nerve stem cells in the adult rats after brain ischemic injury

Objective: To study the effects of electroacupuncture on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSC), and to explore the possible mechanism of electroacupunctue in treatment of ischemic stroke. Method: The model of acute cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rat was made by means of middle cerebral artery occlusion. All animals were sacrificed after different durations of reperfusion (4、7、14d). The double -label immunofluorescence histochemistry method with BrdU/NeuN or BrdU/GFAP was used to observe the changes of cell proliferation and differentiation in adult rat brains. Result: BrdU+ cells were found in subependymal region and ischemic marginal zone at different time points after cerebral ischemia. The level of BrdU + cells proliferation peaked at the 7thd. The number of BrdU-positive cells in electro-acupuncture group was more than that in model group at same time (P0.05). Compared with model group, the number of BrdU/GFAP positive cells in electro- acupuncture group increased significantly on the 7th d (P0.05). There was no significant difference on the number of BrdU/NeuN positive cells between electro-acupuncture group and model group (P0.05). Conclusion: Ischemic injury can induce the proliferation of NSC in subependymal region and ischemic marginal zone. Electro - acupuncture can promote proliferation of NSC and stimulate it differentiate further into astrocytes. It may be one of the important mechanisms of electro acupuncture in treating ischemic stroke.