title: [Effects of electroacupuncture of acupoints of pericardium meridian on serum VEGF content and cerebral VEGF expression in cerebral ischemia rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of Electroacupuncture (EA) of "Quze" (PC 3) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) on cerebral angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia (CI) rats, so as to research its mechanisms underlying improvement of stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty SD rats were randomized into normal control, sham, model, EA-PC 3-PC 6, and EA-Hegu (LI 4)-Quchi (LI 11) groups. CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. EA (2-4 V, 20 Hz) was applied to PC3, PC6, LI 4 and LI 11 respectively 6 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after modeling, 30 min for each time. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) content was assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cerebral VEGF immunoactivity was detected by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the normal control group, serum VEGF content, cerebral VEGF expression level, and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in the ischemic cerebral region in the model, EA-PC 3-PC 6 and EA-LI 4-LI 11 groups were increased significantly (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, serum VEGF content, cerebral VEGF expression level, and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in the EA-LI 4-LI 11 and EA-PC 3-PC 6 groups were up-regulated further (P<0.01), and the effects of the EA-PC 3-PC 6 group were obviously superior to those of the EA-LI4-LI 11 group in up-regulating VEGF expression and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels (P<0.01). No significant difference was found between the EA-LI 4-LI 11 and EA-PC 3-PC 6 groups in serum VEGF levels (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA of acupoints of both Large Intestine Meridian and Pericardium Meridian can up-regulate serum VEGF, cerebral VEGF expression and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in CI rats, suggesting an increase of cerebral angiogenesis after the treatment. The effect of EA-PC 3-PC 6 is markedly superior to that of EA-LI 4-LI 11.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410007, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wu-Shan
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Ying
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A