Research of Intervention with Electroacupuncture Through Regulating MAPK/ERK Pathway for Cerebral Ischemia Rats

Objective To observe the intervention with electroacupuncture(EA) through regulating protein kinase(MAPK/ERK) pathway for cerebral ischemia rats.Methods SD rats were randomized into pseudo-operation group,model group and EA group.And the three groups were divided into 2-hour,one-day and 3-day subgroups according to the observation time.Focal cerebral ischemia(FCI) rat models were established by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) with heat-coagulation method.EA group received EA on Baihui(GV20) and Dazhui(GV14),qd,for 2 hours,one day and 3 days respectively.The learning and memory abilities of the rats in Y maze test and their neuroethological score were observed.Immunohistochemical method was used to observe the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase(p-ERK) after ischemia in CA1 area and CA3 area.Results In the model group,the neuroethological score was markedly increased,time for arriving the safe area in Y maze was prolonged(P0.01 compared with those in the pseudo-operation group),EA for one day and 3 days counteracted the above changes,and the difference was significant as compared with the model group and the group of EA for 2h(P0.05 or P0.01).Pseudo-operation group had no cells with positive p-ERK expression,the model group had a higher total score of p-ERK optical density in CA1 area and CA3 area(P0.01),and EA decreased the total score of p-ERK optical density(P0.05 or P0.01 compared with the model group),the decrease being obvious in the group of EA for one day and 3 days(P0.05 compared with the group of EA for 2h).Conclusion EA can relieve the cerebral injury in cerebral ischemia rats through regulating MAPK/ERK pathway and by decreasing p-ERK expression in the early stage of cerebral ischemia.