Electroacupuncture reduces apoptotic index and inhibits p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in the hippocampus of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Electroacupuncture attenuates cerebral hypoxia and neuronal apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.To further identify the involved mechanisms,we assumed that electroacupuncture used to treat cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was associated with the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway.We established rat models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury using the modified Zea-Longa＇s method.At 30 minutes before model establishment,p38 MAPK blocker SB20358 was injected into the left lateral ventricles.At 1.5 hours after model establishment,electroacupuncture was administered at acupoints of Chize（LU5）,Hegu（LI4）,Zusanli（ST36）,and Sanyinjiao（SP6） for 20 minutes in the affected side.Results showed that the combination of EA and SB20358 injection significantly decreased neurologic impairment scores,but no significant differences were determined among different interventional groups.Hematoxylin-eosin staining also showed reduced brain tissue injuries.Compared with the SB20358 group,the cells were regularly arranged,the structures were complete,and the number of viable neurons was higher in the SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase（Td T）-mediated d UTP nick-end labeling assay showed a decreased apoptotic index in each group,with a significant decrease in the SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group.Immunohistochemistry revealed reduced phosphorylated p38 expression at 3 days in the electroacupuncture group and SB20358 ＋ electroacupuncture group compared with the ischemia/reperfusion group.There was no significant difference in phosphorylated p38 expression between the ischemia/reperfusion group and SB20358 group.These findings confirmed that the electroacupuncture effects on mitigating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury are possibly associated with the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.A time period of 3 days could promote the repair of ischemic cerebral nerves.

Significance of neuroglobin in serum of acute atherosclerotic cerebral infarction patients

This study sought to examine neuroglobin （NGB） in the serum of acute cerebral infarction patients with double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify all risk factors, calculate infarct size, assess neurological impairment, and analyze the relation between NGB and each of these factors. The double-antibody sandwich assay indicated that levels of NGB in serum were unaltered within 6 hours following acute cerebral infarction compared with normal levels. NGB levels then underwent a distinct change, peaking at 24 hours then returning to normal levels in 72 hours. The results suggest that the level of NGB might be related to infarct size and low-density lipoprotein at 24 hours after acute cerebral infarction. There were no significant differences in neurological impairment scores and infarct size at different periods following infarction. The findings indicated that the level of NGB in serum of acute cerebral infarction patients was correlated with infarct time.