Electroacupuncture promotes neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of rats following stroke via upregulation of Notch1 expression

  • Authors:
    • Junhong Zhao
    • Minghong Sui
    • Xiao Lü
    • Dongmei Jin
    • Zhiqiang Zhuang
    • Tiebin Yan
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 2, 2015     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4279
  • Pages: 6911-6917
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are important in rehabilitation following stroke. Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been observed to promote the recovery of neurological functions subsequent to stroke, however, the effects of EA on the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs and its potential mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, rats, in which a stroke was induced through middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), were treated with EA or control manipulation for 21 days. The modified Neurological Severity score and Morris water maze tests were used to assess the neurological functions of the rats. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)/glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or BrdU/neuronal marker (NeuN) double immunofluorescence staining were used to examine the proliferation and differentiation of the NSCs. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analyses were performed to detect the expression levels of Notch1 and Hes1 in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus of rats following MCAO. The results demonstrated that EA treatment significantly improved the neurological functional recovery of rats following stroke. A significant increase was observed in the number of BrdU+/GAFP+ and BrdU+/NeuN+ cells in the DG area in the EA‑treated rats compared with that of the control group. RT‑qPCR analysis revealed that EA treatment significantly increased the expression levels of Notch1 and Hes1, which may account for the enhanced proliferation and differentiation of NSCs. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to demonstrate that EA treatment promoted NSC proliferation and neurogenesis in the DG area through the upregulation of Notch signaling following a stroke; therefore, EA may be a useful novel therapeutic strategy in future stroke treatment.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

November-2015
Volume 12 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zhao J, Sui M, Lü X, Jin D, Zhuang Z and Yan T: Electroacupuncture promotes neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of rats following stroke via upregulation of Notch1 expression. Mol Med Rep 12: 6911-6917, 2015.
APA
Zhao, J., Sui, M., Lü, X., Jin, D., Zhuang, Z., & Yan, T. (2015). Electroacupuncture promotes neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of rats following stroke via upregulation of Notch1 expression. Molecular Medicine Reports, 12, 6911-6917. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4279
MLA
Zhao, J., Sui, M., Lü, X., Jin, D., Zhuang, Z., Yan, T."Electroacupuncture promotes neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of rats following stroke via upregulation of Notch1 expression". Molecular Medicine Reports 12.5 (2015): 6911-6917.
Chicago
Zhao, J., Sui, M., Lü, X., Jin, D., Zhuang, Z., Yan, T."Electroacupuncture promotes neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of rats following stroke via upregulation of Notch1 expression". Molecular Medicine Reports 12, no. 5 (2015): 6911-6917. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4279