电针增强自噬改善老年大鼠术后认知功能障碍

Electroacupuncture improves postoperative cognitive dysfunction by enhancing autophagy in aged rats

目的探讨电针增强自噬改善老年大鼠术后认知功能障碍。方法老年雄性SD大鼠48只,随机分为对照组、手术组、电针组和自噬抑制剂干预组。对照组大鼠置于笼内不予手术处理,手术组大鼠实施剖腹探查术,电针组剖腹探查后行电针处理,自噬抑制剂干预组在电针处理前腹腔注射自噬抑制剂3-MA。术后第7天进行Morris水迷宫测试大鼠空间学习记忆能力评估术后认知功能障碍,Western blot方法检测大鼠脑海马LC3和Beclin1蛋白的表达,TUNEL法测定神经细胞凋亡。结果手术组大鼠术后7天水迷宫测试潜伏期延长、穿越平台次数减少,神经细胞凋亡增加。电针处理增强自噬水平,减少神经细胞凋亡,改善术后认知功能,自噬抑制剂3-MA抵消了电针的保护作用。结论电针通过增强自噬改善老年大鼠术后认知功能障碍。

Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on postoperative cognitive dysfunction by enhancing autophagy in aged rats. Methods Forty-eight aged male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, surgery group(by laparotomy), electroacupuncture group(by electroacupuncture after laparotomy) and 3-MA group(intraperitoneally injected with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA before electroacupuncture treatment). The seventh day after operation, Morris water maze test was used to assess the spatial learning and memory ability, Western blot was used to detect the expression of LC3 and Beclin1 in hippocampus of rats, and TUNEL was used to detect the apoptosis of nerve cells. Results The latency was prolonged, the times of platform crossing was reduced the seventh day after operation. Meanwhile, the apoptosis rates of nerve cells was increased in surgery group than in control. Electroacupuncture treatment enhanced the level of autophagy, reduced the apoptosis of nerve cells and improved postoperative cognitive function. Autophagy inhibitor 3-MA counteracted the protective effects of electroacupuncture. Conclusion Electroacupuncture improves postoperative cognitive dysfunction via enhancing autophagy in rats.