Effects of electroacupuncture on JAK2/STAT3 m RNA and neuronal apoptosis of rats with focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on JAK2/STAT3 m RNA and neuronal apoptosis of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, and explore the mechanism of anti-apoptosis with electroacupuncture. Methods: 90 male SD rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group and electroacupuncture group, each of which was divided into three subgroups according to reperfusion time(2, 24, 72h), each subgroup for 10 rats. The model of focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion was established by the modii ed middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO). The reperfusion was conducted at 90 min after ischemia. In the sham group, the right common carotid artery was merely separated but without being inserted into a thread. The electroacupuncture group was inserted the needles by means of HANS instrument on Baihui acupoint(GV 20) and Neiguan(P6), 2/15 Hz sparse/dense wave, lasting for 30 min. After the treatment, rats in each subgroup were sacrii ced to remove the brain. Then TUNEL apoptosis staining was used to observe neuronal apoptosis and RT-PCR was used to determine the expression of JAK2 m RNA and STAT3 m RNA. Results: At 2h after reperfusion, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of JAK2 m RNA, STAT3 m RNA were significantly increased in both of the model group and the electroacupuncture group, with there being no significant difference. There were, however, significant differences in the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of JAK2 m RNA, STAT3 m RNA between the sham group and the model group or the electroacupuncture group(P0.01). At 24 h and 72 h after reperfusion, there was significant difference between the model group and the electroacupuncture group(P0.05). Conclusion: The electroacupuncture can protect brain and anti-neuronal apoptosis, which may be related to inhibit the overexpression of JAK2/STAT3 after injury induced by cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.