Effects Of Cluster Needling On Aβ Deposition And NGF/TrKA Pathway In Hippocampus Of APP/PS1 Transgenic Rats

Objective:To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture on Aβdeposition and NGF/Tr KA pathway in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 transgenic mice,we discuss the possible mechanism of scalp acupuncture in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease（AD）,so as to provide experimental basis and theoretical basis for acupuncture treatment of AD in clinic.Methods:27 APP/PS1 transgenic mice were used as AD animal model.The mice were randomly divided into three groups:scalp acupuncture group,non acupoint group and model group.In addition,9 ICR mice were selected as blank group.Scalp acupuncture group was treated with head point cluster acupuncture,non acupoint group was treated with non meridian non acupoint acupuncture.Model group and blank group were treated with the same grasping and feeding,but no intervention was given.After 28 days of treatment,the Morris water maze experiment was carried out to observe the behavioral changes of mice.After the behavioral experiment,the expression level of Aβ1-42,NGF and Trk A related protein in the hippocampus of mice were detected by Western blot.Results:1.Morris Water maze:Experimental results of positioning navigation showed that the escape latency of the model group was significantly longer than that of the blank group（P<0.01）;compared with the model group,the escape latency of the mice in the cluster needling group was significantly shorter,and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.01）,but the escape latency of the mice in the non acupoint group was also shorter,but the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05）;compared with the non acupoint group,the escape latency of the head acupoint group was significantly shorter（P<0.01）.The results of space exploration experiments show that compared with the blank group,the percentage of the second quadrant and the number of crossing platform in the model group decreased significantly（P<0.01,P<0.01）,and there are obvious spatial position learning and memory disorders;compared with the model group,the percentage of the second quadrant and the times of crossing the platform of the mice in the cluster needling group increased significantly（P<0.01,P<0.01）,while the results of the space exploration experiment in the non acupoint group increased slightly,but the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05,P>0.05）;compared with the non acupoints group,the percentage of the second quadrant and the times of crossing the platform of the mice in the cluster needling group increased significantly（P<0.05,P<0.05）.2.Western blot result:Compared with the blank group,the expression of Aβ_1-42-42 protein in the hippocampus of the model group increased significantly（P<0.01）,and the expression of NGF and Trk A decreased significantly（P<0.01,P<0.01）;compared with the model group,the expression of Aβ1-42protein in the hippocampus of the mice in the cluster needling group decreased significantly（P<0.05）,and the expression of NGF and Trk A protein increased significantly（P<0.05,P<0.01）;compared with the model group,the expression of Aβ_1-42-42 protein in the hippocampus of mice in the non acupoint group increased slightly,but there was no statistical significance（P>0.05）,the expression of NGF in the hippocampus increased significantly（P<0.05）,and the expression of Trk A protein in the hippocampus of mice in the non acupoint group had no significant difference（P>0.05）;compared with the non acupoint group,the expression of Aβ1-42 protein in the hippocampus of the mice in the cluster needling group decreased significantly（P<0.01）,and the expression of NGF and Trk A protein in the hippocampus increased significantly（P<0.01,P<0.05）.Conclusions:1.Cluster needling of scalp acupoint can significantly improve the learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 transgenic mice.2.Cluster needling of scalp points may activate NGF/Trk A pathway and reduce the expression of Aβ_1-42-42 protein in the hippocampus of APP/PS1transgenic mice,so as to improve their learning and memory ability.