Electroacupuncture alleviates neuroinflammation and promotes recovery of neurological functions after intracerebral hemorrhage by modulating α7nAChR/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES

Electroacupuncture, a therapeutic modality integrating electrical stimulation with traditional acupuncture, has emerged as a promising intervention for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aimed to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture's therapeutic effects in a mouse model of ICH.

METHODS

The mice were injected autologous blood into basal ganglia region of brain to establish an ICH model. The study comprised two parts. First, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of electroacupuncture at Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) points using the ICH model by neurological deficit score, Fluoro-Jade C (FJC) staining, and ELISA. Subsequently, based on the observed therapeutic benefits, we further explored the underlying mechanisms via neurological deficit and adhesive removal score, immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, and Western blot assays.

RESULTS

The first part of the study showed that electroacupuncture treatment alleviated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)], neuronal degeneration, and neurological deficits. The second part of the study showed that electroacupuncture treatment upregulated the expression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), downregulated Janus kinase-2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, promoted M2 microglia/macrophage polarization, and reduced IL-1β and TNF-α expression, contributing to improved neurobehavioral function.

CONCLUSION

Electroacupuncture treatment can alleviate neuroinflammation and improve neurobehavioral function in ICH mice, which might be modulated by the α7nAChR/JAK2/STAT3 pathway, providing a new molecular mechanism of electroacupuncture treatment on ICH.