Acupuncture ameliorates cognitive impairment and hippocampus neuronal loss in experimental vascular dementia through Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response
Authors: Xue-Rui Wang
Li-Ting Lin
Jing-Wen Yang
Si-Qi Du
Cun-Zhi Liu
Tian He
Chao-Qun Yan
Qian Xu
Wen Zhu
Guang-Xia Shi
Xiang-Hong Zeng
Journal: Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2015)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Acupuncture; Antioxidant; Cognitive deficits; Nrf2; Vascular dementia.
Affiliations: Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, China., Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  Emerging evidence suggests acupuncture could exert neuroprotection in the vascular dementia via anti-oxidative effects. However, the involvement of Nrf2, a master regulator of antioxidant defense, in acupuncture-induced neuroprotection in vascular dementia remains undetermined. The goal of our study was to investigate the contribution of Nrf2 in acupuncture and its effects on vascular dementia. Morris water maze and Nissl staining were used to assess the effect of acupuncture on cognitive function and hippocampal neurodegeneration in experimental vascular dementia. The distribution of Nrf2 in neurons in hippocampus, the protein expression of Nrf2 in both cytosol and nucleus, and the protein and mRNA levels of its downstream target genes NQO1 and HO-1 were detected by double immunofluorescent staining, Western blotting and realtime PCR analysis respectively. Cognitive function and microglia activation were measured in both wild-type and Nrf2 gene knockout mice after acupuncture treatment. We found that acupuncture could remarkably reverse the cognitive deficits, neuron cell loss, reactive oxygen species production, and decreased cerebral blood flow. It was notable that acupuncture enhanced nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in neurons and up-regulate the protein and mRNA levels of Nrf2 and its target genes HO-1 and NQO1. Moreover, acupuncture could significantly down-regulated the over-activation of microglia after common carotid artery occlusion surgery. However, the reversed cognitive deficits, neuron cell loss and microglia activation by acupuncture were abolished in Nrf2 gene knockout mice. In conclusion, these findings provide evidence that the neuroprotection of acupuncture in models of vascular dementia was via the Nrf2 activation and Nrf2-dependent microglia activation. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 1G. * Blue boxes: The Sham panel appears to show an overlap with the 2VO+Acu panel. Some additional features appear to be visible in the Sham panel (shown with thin blue ellipses and circles). ![file] , 
 Figure 4E. * Red boxes: The WT+VO+Acu panel appears to show an overlap with the Nfr2(- -) + VO panel. ![file] , 
 Figure 5D * Purple boxes: Panel WT+VO appears to show an overlap with panel Nrf2(- -)+VO. ![file] , 
 ![file] This study contain identical data as in another paper https: www.nature.com articles srep17981#Sec2 Even though different mouse lines were said to have been used in these two studies , 
 Update: This paper contains data that are identical in TWO other papers from the Liu lab. https: pubpeer.com publications 376B1C032DE6201C7EDBC0DF8D21B9 https: pubpeer.com publications A849D06A783E9DCD6B8EFFD23EFD5D?utm_source=Chrome utm_medium=BrowserExtension utm_campaign=Chrome#null ![file] ,