Effects of Electroacupuncture on Imaging and Behavior in Rats with Ischemic Stroke Through MiR-212-5p

Overview

Journal BMC Neurosci

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Neurology

Date 2023 Dec 6

PMID 38057703

Authors

Sisi Li

Xiangxin Xing

Xuyun Hua

Yuwen Zhang

Jiajia Wu

Chunlei Shan

Mouxiong Zheng

He Wang

Jianguang Xu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Ischemic stroke is a serious disease leading to significant disability in humans worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that some microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. A key role for MiR-212 has been found in neuronal function and synaptic plasticity. Ischemic stroke can be effectively treated with electroacupuncture (EA); however, there is a lack of understanding of the relevant mechanisms. In this study, we employed behavioral test and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to detect behavioral and brain function alterations in rats suffering from ischemic stroke. The efficacy of EA therapy and miR-212-5p's role in this process were also evaluated.

Methods And Results: Forty rats were randomly divided into the following groups: Sham, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R), MCAO/R + EA, MCAO/R + EA + antagomir-negative control and MCAO/R + EA + antagomir-212-5p groups. Behavioral changes were assessed by Catwalk gait analysis prior to and after modeling. Rs-fMRI was performed at one week after EA treatment, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were calculated to reveal neural activity. Furthermore, neuronal apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra was analyzed using a TUNEL assay. Treatment with EA significantly improved the performance of rats in the behavioral test. The motor and cognition-related brain regions showed decreased ALFF and ReHo following focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, and EA treatment could reactivate these brain regions. Moreover, EA treatment significantly decreased MCAO/R-induced cell death. However, the transfection of antagomir-212-5p attenuated the therapeutic effect of EA.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the results suggested that EA improved the behavioral and imaging outcomes of ischemic stroke through miR-212-5p.

Citing Articles

Protective effect of silencing lncRNA HCP5 against brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage by targeting miR-195-5p.

Lu Z, Huang K BMC Neurosci. 2025; 26(1):2.

PMID: 39780056 PMC: 11708098. DOI: 10.1186/s12868-024-00923-7.

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