Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2026 Mar 12;46(3):384-392. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250521-k0001. Epub 2025 Nov 24.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture (for unblocking the obstruction in the governor vessel and reulating the spirit) on hippocampal neuronal synaptic remodeling in rats with post-stroke depression (PSD) based on the chemokine ligand 2-chemokine receptor 2 (CCL2-CCR2) pathway.
METHODS: Fifty male SD rats were randomly selected from a total of 62 rats to establish PSD model via middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Forty-eight successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group, an acupuncture group, a fluoxetine group, and an acupuncture+agonist group, with 12 rats in each group. The remaining 12 normal rats were used as the blank group. The acupuncture group received Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture at "Dazhui" (GV14), "Shuigou" (GV26), "Shenting" (GV24), and "Baihui" (GV20), 40 min per session, once daily, 6 times per week. The fluoxetine group was administered with fluoxetine (5 mg/kg) by gavage once daily, 7 times per week. The acupuncture+agonist group received acupuncture combined with intraperitoneal injection of recombinant CCL2 protein (1 μg), once daily, 7 times per week. Behavioral assessments included Longa neurological deficit score, sucrose preference test, and forced swimming test. ELISA was used to detect serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin-10 [IL-10], interleukin-6 [IL-6]). HE and Nissl staining were performed to observe hippocampal morphology. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the hippocampal synaptic ultrastructure. Western blot was used to detect the expression of CCL2-CCR2 pathway-related and neuronal synaptic remodeling-related proteins.
RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, the model group exhibited severe damage to hippocampal structure, reduced neuronal number, decreased synapse count and postsynaptic density, increased Longa score, immobility time in the forced swimming test, TNF-α and IL-6 levels, and elevated expression of CCL2 and CCR2 proteins (P<0.05); while the sucrose preference index, IL-10 level, synaptic density (SD), postsynaptic density thickness (PSDL), and expression of synapsin 1 (SYN1), synaptophysin (SYN), and postsynaptic density proitein 95 (PSD95) proteins were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, both the acupuncture group and the fluoxetine group showed improved hippocampal structure, increased Nissl bodies, clearer neuronal nuclear membranes, increased synapse number and density, reduced Longa score, immobility time of swimming, TNF-αand IL-6 levels, and CCL2, CCR2 protein expression (P<0.05), and increased sucrose preference index, IL-10 level, SD, PSDL, and SYN1, SYN, PSD95 protein expression (P<0.05). Compared with the acupuncture+agonist group, the acupuncture group showed better improvement in all indexes (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture could improve neurological function and depressive-like behavior in PSD rats, possibly by inhibiting the CCL2-CCR2 pathway and promoting neuronal synaptic remodeling in the hippocampus.
PMID:41839599 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250521-k0001