Effect of Acupuncture on Cerebral Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expression in Cerebral Ischemia Mice

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on cerebral glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in cerebral ischemia rats. Methods: 38 NIH male mice were randomly divided into control group (n=10), sham operation group (n=10), model group (n=8) and acupuncture group (n=10). Cerebral ischemia model was established by occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. “Baihui(GV 20), “Shenting(GV 24), “Shuaigu(GB 8) and “Naohu(GV 17) were punctured once daily, 10 times all together. GFAP expression was assayed with immunohistochemical technique. Results: GFAP immunoreaction (IR) positive neurons of the radiation layer of CA1 area in model group were significantly more than those of control group and sham operation group (P 0.01). In comparison with model group, GFAP IR positive neurons of hippocampal radiation layer in acupuncture group were strikingly fewer (P0.01), while no significant differences were found between four groups in IR positive neurons of lacuma molecular layer and hilus region of dentate gyrus of hippocampus (P0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture can downregulate cerebral ischemia induced stronger expression of GFAP in CA1 region of hippocampus.