Electroacupuncture Reduces Aβ Production and BACE1 Expression in SAMP8 Mice.
Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD). BACE1 (β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1) is involved in the abnormal production of amyloid-β plaque (Aβ), a hallmark of AD pathophysiology. Thus, the present study investigated the effects of EA on memory impairment, Aβ production, and BACE1 expression in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. We found that EA improved spatial learning and memory impairment of SAMP8 mice. Furthermore, EA attenuated Aβ production and repressed the expression of BACE1 in the hippocampus of SAMP8 mice. Taken together, our results suggest that EA could have a potential therapeutic application in AD and that BACE1 may be an important target of EA in the treatment of AD.
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Wei-Guo
WG
Dong
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Feng
F
Wang
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Ye
Y
Chen
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Xue-Hua
XH
Zheng
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Yong-Cai
YC
Xie
The Third People's Hospital of Fujian Province , Fuzhou , China.
Wan-Qing
WQ
Guo
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou , China.
Hong
H
Shi
Alzheimer’s disease; BACE1; amyloid-β; electroacupuncture; memory impairment