[Effects of electroacupuncture plus oxygenmedicine on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in the hippocampal CA 1 area in rats with global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) plus oxygenmedicine (OM) on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the hippocampal CA 1 area in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI) rats.


METHODS
Thirty SD rats were randomized into sham-operation, model, EA, OM, EA+OM groups (n=6 /group). CI/RI model was established by using modified Pulsinelli 4 vessel occlusion and reperfusion. EA (100 Hz, 3.5 mA) was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) 30 min, once daily for 4 days. Rats of OM and EA+ OM groups were put into a box filled with oxygen and atomized herbal medicines containing Bingpian (Borneolum), Shexiang (Moschus), Huangjing (Rhizoma Polygonati), Shouwu (Radix Polygoni Multiflori), etc. for 30 min, once daily for 4 days. Bcl-2 and Bax expression of the hippocampal CA 1 area was detected by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Compared with sham group, the numbers of Bcl-2 immunoreaction (IR) and Bax IR positive cells, and the immunoactivity of Bcl-2 IR and Bax IR positive products in the hippocampal CA 1 area were increased significantly in model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comparison with model group, the number of Bcl-2 IR positive cells and Bcl-2 immunoactivity in EA, OM and EA+OM groups increased considerably (P < 0.01), while Bax IR positive cell numbers and Bax immunoactivity in EA, OM and OM+ EA groups decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The effects of EA+ OM were significantly superior to those of EA and OM groups in upregulating Bcl-2 IR positive cell number and Bcl-2 immunoactivity and downregulating Bax IR positive cell number and Bax immunoactivity (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between EA and OM groups in the abovemen-EA and OM and EA+OM can effectively regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in tioned indexes (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
EA and OM and EA + OM can effectively regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the hippocampal CA 1 area in CI/RI rats, and the effects of EA+OM are significantly superior to those of simple EA and simple OM, which may contribute to their effect in improving cerebral ischemia.
Bu
Yuan
Y
Department of Neurology, Xuzhou Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Xuzhou 221000, China. acupuncturebu@163.com
Zhang
Pei-ying
PY
Geng
De-qin
DQ
Cao
Jin-xia
JX
Li
Ji-zhen
JZ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein