Acupuncture suppresses ischemia-induced increase in c-Fos expression and apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region in gerbils.
Acupuncture has been used for the enhancement of functional recovery from various disorders including stroke. In the present study, the effects of acupuncture on the c-Fos expression and apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region of gerbils following transient global ischemia were investigated via immunohistochemistry for c-Fos and caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Enhanced Fos, TUNEL, and caspase-3 positivities were detected in the hippocampal CA1 region in the ischemic gerbils. Acupunctural treatment suppressed the ischemia-induced increment in the number of Fos-, TUNEL-, and caspase-3-positive cells: the most potent suppressive effect was observed at the Zusanli acupoint. These results suggest that acupunctural treatment alleviates ischemia-induced apoptosis and may aid in the recovery following ischemic cerebral injury.
Jang
Mi-Hyeon
MH
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, # 1 Hoigi-dong, Dongdaemoon-gu, Seoul 130-701, South Korea.
Shin
Min-Chul
MC
Lee
Taeck-Hyun
TH
Lim
Baek-Vin
BV
Shin
Mal-Soon
MS
Min
Byung-Il
BI
Kim
Hong
H
Cho
Sonhae
S
Kim
Ee-Hwa
EH
Kim
Chang-Ju
CJ
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases