[Effects of Acupuncture Stimulation of Bilateral "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Taichong" (LR 3) on Learning-memory Ability, Hippocampal AP 42 Expression and Inflammatory Cytokines in Rats with Alzheimer's Disease].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of acupuncture stimulation of bilateral "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Taichong" (LR 3, the so-called "Four Gate Points") on learning-memory ability, hippocampal interleukin-1 (IL-1) P and IL-2 and amyloid beta (Abeta) 42 levels in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats,so as to reveal its underlying mechanism in improving AD.


METHODS
Male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, medication and acupuncture groups (n = 12 rats in each group). The AD model was created by microinjection of streptozotocin (10 pL, 3 mg/kg) into the lateral ventricle (repeated the microinjection once two days later). Bilateral LR 3 and LI 4 were punctured with filiform needles and stimulated manually, once a day, 6 days a week for 4 weeks. The rats of the medication group were intragastric perfusion of Donepezil HOI (0.045 mg/kg), once a day for 4 weeks. The learning-memory ability was detected by Morris water maze swimming tests. The immunoactivity of hippocampal Abeta 42 was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the contents of IL-1 P and IL-2 in the hippocampus tissue were determined by ELISA.


RESULTS
After modeling, the average escape latency of Morris water navigation task was significantly increased, and the target-platform crossing times of space probe trials were significantly reduced in the model group (P<0.05), suggesting a g-memory ability. After acupuncture intervention, the increased escape latency and the decreased target-platform crossing times were reversed, suggesting an improvement of the learning-memory. The hippocampal Abeta 42 immunoactivity and IL-1 beta content were significantly higher in the model group than in the sham operation group (P<0.05), but the hippocampal IL-2 content was markedly decreased in the model group (P<0. 05). Following the interventions, the increased Abeta 42 expression and IL-1 beta contents, and the decreased IL-2 contents in the hippocampus were also reversed in both the acupuncture and medication groups (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture may improve learning-memory ability in AD rats, which may be associated with its effects in reducing hippocampal Abeta13 42 expression and IL-1beta content and in up-regulating IL-2 level.
Mei-chi
MC
Jiang
Jing
J
Liang
Yu-jie
YJ
Zhang
Jing-rong
JR
Wang
Jin-dong
JD
Hao
Mei-kang
MK
Wang
Jian
J
Xu
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016207:Cytokines