"Double Solid" Acupuncture On Parkinson's Disease Model Rat Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Neurons Protective Effect

Purpose: To discuss the protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of the Parkinsonian rats by the acupuncture therapy of "ShuangGuYiTong".Approach:The Parkinsonian rats were modeled by stereotaxical microquantitative injection in the right striatum with 6-hydroxydopamine and treated by the acupuncture therapy of "ShuangGuYiTong". All the experimental rats were divided into five groups: Normal Group, Sham-modeling Group, Model Group, Fengfu-taichong Group and "ShuangGuYiTong" Group. The "ShuangGuYiTong" Group was treated with the acupuncture therapy of "ShuangGuYiTong" and compared to the Fengfu-taichong group treated by needling the sole two acupoints of "Fengfu" and Taichong". (1) Histochemical and immunohistochemical staining methods are adopted to observe the morphologic changes of substantia nigra and striatum and quantify the tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) positive neurons and nerve fibers by the detecting therapies of flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. (2) The therapy of flow cytometry is adopted to detect the apoptotic percentage of substantia nigra cells. (3) The therapy of immunohistochemistry is adopted to quantify the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) positive cells in substantia nigra and striatum and detect the content of the protein Ret of the destructive side of substantia nigra with west-blot. (4) The single and double-labbling immunohistochemistry therapy is adopted to observe the proliferation in substantia nigra and striatum and the transformation of the nerve stem cells into mature neurons.Results (1) The total neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of the destructive side, the total TH positive neurons and the striatum TH positive nerve fiber number in Model Group is obviously lower than that in Normal Group and Sham-modeling Group(P<0.01). Compared to Model Group, the relevant indexes of the two needling groups are obviously increased (P<0.01). There is no obvious difference between the two needling groups(P>0.05); (2)The apoptosis of substantia nigra of the destructive side of the two needling groups is obviously lower than that in Model Group (P<0.01), but it is still obviously increased compared with Normal Group and Sham-modeling Group (P<0.01). There is no obvious difference between the two needling groups (P>0.05); (3) The positive cell number of substantia nigra, striate body GDNF of the destructive side in the two needling groups is obviously increased, compared with the other three groups.(P<0.01). Compared with the two needling groups, the number in "ShuangGuYiTong" Group isobviously higher than that in "Fengfu and Taicong" Group (P<0.05). The RET content of the substantia nigra of the destructive side in the two needling groups is obviously higher than the other three groups(P<0.01). There is no obvious difference between the two needling groups (P>0.05); (4) The proliferous cell of the substantia nigra and striate body of the destructive side is obviously increased in the two needling groups (P<0.01), but the nerve stem cell (NSC) of the substantia nigra and striate body of the destructive side and the proliferous neurons in "ShuangGuYiTong" Group are obviously increased (P<0.01). Conclusion: The two needling therapies demonstrate the protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of the Parkinsonian rats, but the needling therapy of "ShuangGuYiTong" shows stronger protective effect.