针刺完骨穴对血管性痴呆大鼠海马炎性细胞因子的影响
Electroacupuncture at the Wangu acupoint suppresses expression of inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia

摘要：目的 探讨针刺完骨穴(GB 12)对血管性痴呆大鼠海马炎性细胞因子的影响，为针刺治疗血管性痴呆提供理论依据。方法 选用健康SD大鼠(n=54，300～450g)，随机分为假手术组、血管性痴呆组、针刺组，进行行为学评分并测定海马炎性细胞因子(TNF-α、IL-6和IL-1β)mRNA的表达，HE染色观察海马组织变化。结果 与血管性痴呆组相比，针刺组大鼠学习能力显著提升且炎性细胞因子(TNF-α、IL-6和IL-1β)mRNA表达下降；同时，海马神经细胞损伤程度下降，其形态学恢复到接近正常。结论 电针完骨穴可以降低海马炎性细胞因子水平，降低神经细胞损伤程度，为血管性痴呆提供了新的神经保护机制。
ABSTRACT: Objective To examine whether electroacupuncture at the Wangu acupoint (GB 12), whose position is similar to the cerebellar fastigial nucleus, can reduce inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia (VD) to provide theoretical evidence for treating VD with electroacupuncture. Methods Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats (n=54, 300-450g) were randomly divided into three groups: sham surgery group, VD group, and electroacupuncture group. The ethologic scores of VD rats were evaluated and the mRNA expressions of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) in the hippocampus were assessed and the hippocampal tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Results Compared with VD group, in electroacupuncture group the rats？？ learning ability improved significantly and the mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β decreased. Simultaneously, the damage extent of nerve cells in the hippocampal tissues decreased, and their morphology recovered to nearly normal. Conclusion Electroacupuncture at the Wangu acupoint can decrease the level of inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and reduce the damage extent of nerve cells in the hippocampus, thus providing a new neuroprotective method for VD