背景:本研究旨在探讨艾灸能否通过PI3K/Akt通路调节转化酸性卷曲螺旋蛋白3(TACC3),促进轴突再生,改善大脑中动脉闭塞(MCAO)大鼠的学习记忆功能。
方法:60只SD大鼠随机分为4组:假手术对照组,模型对照组(MC),模型+艾灸组(MM),模型+抑制剂+艾灸组(MIM组)。MC中的老鼠,MM,MIM组被制成MCAO模型,MIM组大鼠在造模前注射PI3K抑制剂LY294002;SC组大鼠仅动脉分离,不插入单丝。之后,对MM和MIM组大鼠进行艾灸干预。我们使用了Zea-Longa量表,显微磁共振成像(micro-MRI),莫里斯水迷宫(MWM),TUNEL,蛋白质印迹(WB),免疫荧光和免疫组织化学来评估神经功能缺损,脑梗死体积,学习和记忆,海马中凋亡细胞百分比,轴突再生和PI3K/AKt相关蛋白的表达水平,TACC3的表达水平。术后2h检测结果为艾灸前,干预后7d检测结果为艾灸后。
结果:经过7天的干预,Zea-Longa评分和脑梗死体积,逃避延迟,MM组的凋亡细胞百分比低于MC和MIM组;大鼠的频率越过先前的平台位置,PI3K,MM组p-Akt/t-Akt和TACC3、GAP-43水平高于MC和MIM组(P<0.05)。MIM组与MC组之间无统计学差异(P>0.05)。
结论:艾灸可通过激活PI3K/AKT信号通路和TACC3促进脑卒中后认知功能障碍轴突再生,改善学习记忆。
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether moxibustion could affect PI3K/Akt pathway to regulate Transforming acidic coiled-coil containing protein 3 (TACC3) and promote axonal regeneration to improve learning and memory function in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats.
METHODS: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham-operated control group (SC), model control group (MC), model + moxibustion group (MM), and model + inhibitor + moxibustion group (MIM). The rats in MC, MM, and MIM groups were made into MCAO models, and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was injected into the rats in MIM group before modeling; while the rats in SC group were only treated with artery separation without monofilament inserting. After that, the rats in MM and MIM groups were intervented with moxibustion. We used the Zea-Longa scale, micro-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (micro-MRI), Morris water maze (MWM), TUNEL, western blot (WB), immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the neurological deficits, cerebral infarct volume, learning and memory, apoptotic cell percentage in the hippocampal, the expression level of axonal regeneration and PI3K/AKt related proteins, the expression level of TACC3. The detection of 2 h after surgery showed the result before moxibustion and 7 days after the intervention showed the results after moxibustion.
RESULTS: After 7 d of intervention, the scores of Zea-Longa and the cerebral infarct volume, the escape latency, the percentage of apoptosis cells of MM group were lower than that of MC and MIM groups; the frequency of rats crossed the previous platform location, PI3K, p-Akt/t-Akt and TACC3, the level of GAP-43 in MM group was more than MC and MIM groups (P < 0.05). While no statistical difference existed between MIM group and MC group (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion can promote axonal regeneration and improve learning and memory of Post-stroke cognitive impairment via activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and TACC3.