Abstract:

Objective   To explore the mechanism of eye acupuncture in promoting  microvessel generation of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats by observing its effects on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). Methods   Improved suture-occluded method was adopted to establish focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model, and eye acupuncture was applied. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the microvessel density and expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 in the brain after 3, 24 and 72h reperfusion. RT-PCR method was used to detect the expressions of VEGF mRNA and VEGFR2 mRNA. Results   Compared with model group, the microvessel density was significantly increased 24h and 72h after ischemia/reperfusion in the eye acupuncture group, the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 at each point were also markedly increased (P＜0.05)， and the expressions of VEGF mRNA and VEGFR2 mRNA at each point were conspicuously regulated up (all P＜0.05). Conclusion   Eye acupuncture can promote the microvessel generation of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats, and the mechanism is related to up-regulated expressions of VEGF/VEGFR.

Key words: Angiogenesis; Eye acupuncture;Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor