title: Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) accelerates intracerebral hemorrhage-induced angiogenesis in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture on intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced angiogenesis and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 24 rats each. ICH was induced in 3 groups by stereotactic injection of collagenase type VII into the right globus pallidus; of these, one group was not further treated, the second group underwent Zusanli (ST36)-acupuncture, and the third group underwent non-acupoint acupuncture. The fourth group underwent sham operations. Acupuncture was performed by stimulation with electrical needles at frequencies of 2-20 Hz for 30 min per day. Angiogenesis on days 3, 7 and 14 was assessed by double immunolabeling, and expression of HIF-1α was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled nuclei in cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) resided around the hematoma and the labeling peaked from 7 to 14 days (P<0.01). HIF-1α positive microvessels with a dilated outline were detected in perihematomal tissues after ICH, with the vessels extending into the clot from the surrounding area beginning on day 7. Following ICH, HIF-1α protein levels increased (P<0.05), but HIF-1α mRNA levels did not change. Electro-acupuncture at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint increased BrdU-labeled nuclei in cerebral ECs (P<0.05) and up-regulated the expression of HIF-1α protein (P<0.05), but had little effect on the spatial distribution of HIF-1α or on HIF-1α mRNA levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electro-acupuncture treatment at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint may accelerate ICH-induced angiogenesis by up-regulating HIF-1α protein, and may enhance recovery following hemorrhagic cerebral injury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrative Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
authors.forename: Jie-Kun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hua-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Qing-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger