BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been commonly used to treat stroke in China. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of EA in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats and elucidated the possible anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, modified neurological severity scoring (mNSS) was used to assess neurological deficits, and TTC staining and brain water content were measured to evaluate the degree of brain damage. HE staining, Nissl staining, and TUNEL staining were employed to evaluate apoptotic neuronal death. Molecular biological methods were used to measure the levels of miR-233, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 in the peri-infarct cortex.

RESULTS: Our results showed that EA treatment significantly decreased the neurological deficit score and infarct volume of MCAO rats. The level of miR-223 was increased, while the levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 were decreased in the peri-infarct cortex of EA-treated MCAO rats. However, the neuroprotective effect of EA was partially blocked by antagomir-223.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that EA treatment can alleviate neuroinflammation by inhibiting the miR-223/NLRP3 pathway, thus playing a neuroprotective role in MCAO in rats.

Keywords: Brain Ischemia, Electroacupuncture, Acupuncture Points, Brain Injuries, Cerebral Cortex, Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery, NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein, neuroprotection, Neuroprotective Agents, Stroke