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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

Electroacupuncture preconditioning reduces cerebral ischemic injury via BDNF and SDF-1α in mice

Authors: Ji Hyun Kim, Kyung Ha Choi, Young Jung Jang, Ha Neui Kim, Sun Sik Bae, Byung Tae Choi, Hwa Kyoung Shin

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2013

Abstract

Background

This study was designed to determine if electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning improves tissue outcome and functional outcome following experimentally induced cerebral ischemia in mice. In addition, we investigated whether the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and stromal cell derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and infarct volume were related with improvement in neurological and motor function by interventions in this study.

Methods

After treatment with EA at the acupoints ‘Baihui (GV20)’ and ‘Dazhui (GV14)’ for 20 min, BDNF was assessed in the cortical tissues based on Western blot and the SDF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in the plasma determined by ELISA. To assess the protective effects of EA against ischemic injury, the mice received once a day 20 min EA preconditioning for three days prior to the ischemic event. Focal cerebral ischemia was then induced by photothrombotic cortical ischemia. Infarct volumes, neurobehavioral deficit and motor deficit were evaluated 24 h after focal cerebral ischemia.

Results

The expression of BDNF protein increased significantly from 6 h, reaching a plateau at 12 h after the end of EA treatment in the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, SDF-1α, not VEGF, increased singnificantly from 12 h to 48 h after EA stimulation in the plasma. Moreover, EA preconditioning reduced the infarct volume by 43.5% when compared to control mice at 24 h after photothrombotic cortical ischemia. Consistent with a smaller infarct size, EA preconditioning showed prominent improvement of neurological function and motor function such as vestibule-motor function, sensori-motor function and asymmetric forelimb use. The expression of BDNF colocalized within neurons and SDF-1α colocalized within the cerebral vascular endothelium was observed throughout the ischemic cortex by EA.

Conclusions

Pretreatment with EA increased the production of BDNF and SDF-1α, which elicited protective effects against focal cerebral ischemia. These results suggest a novel mechanism of EA pretreatment-induced tolerance against cerebral ischemic injury.

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/13/22/prepub

Title: Electroacupuncture preconditioning reduces cerebral ischemic injury via BDNF and SDF-1α in mice
Authors: Ji Hyun Kim
Kyung Ha Choi
Young Jung Jang
Ha Neui Kim
Sun Sik Bae
Byung Tae Choi
Hwa Kyoung Shin
Publication date: 01-12-2013
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-13-22

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Electroacupuncture preconditioning reduces cerebral ischemic injury via BDNF and SDF-1α in mice

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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