title: [Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase protein and mRNA in cerebral cortex in rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Dazhui" (GV 14) on the expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) protein and gene in the cerebral cortex in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) injury, so as to explore its molecular biological mechanism underlying anti-oxidative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into sham operation (sham, n = 10), model (n = 10), and EA (n = 10) groups. CI/R model was established by right middle cerebral artery occlusion (modified Longa's thread occlusion method) for 2 hours and reperfusion for 24 hours. EA (3 Hz, 1-3 mA) was applied to "Dazhui" (GV 14) and "Baihui" (GV 20) for 30 min. gamma-GCS protein expression of the parietotemporal region of cerebral cortex was detected by immunohistochemistry and gamma-GCS heavy subunit (gamma-GCSh) mRNA and gamma-GCS light subunit (gamma-GCSI) mRNA expression levels were assayed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the sham group, the expression levels of gamma-GCS protein in the pyramidal cell layer of the cerebral cortical parietotemporal region, and y-GCSh mRNA and gamma-GCSI mRNA, and the number of gamma-GCS immuno-reaction positive cells had no remarkable changes in the model group (P > 0.05), while in comparison with the model group, the expression levels of cerebral cortical gamma-GCS protein, and gamma-GCSh mRNA and gamma-GCSI mRNA, and the number of gamma-GCS immuno-reaction positive cells were increased considerably in the EA group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA of GV 20 and GV 14 can upregulate expression levels of gamma-GCS protein, gamma-GCSh mRNA and gamma-GCSI mRNA of the cerebral cortical parietotemporal region in CI/R rats, which may contribute to its effect in protecting cerebral cortical cells from injury by clearing away excessive oxygen free radicals.
authors.affiliation: The Second Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xiao-Ren
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhong-Ren
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; C017341:gamma-glutamylcysteine