Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (6): 1273-1282.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20250314.001

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Effect of acupuncture on brain microenvironment in rats with post-stroke limb spasticity based on single-cell transcriptome sequencing technology

ZHANG Qiongshuai1, LI Yi1, CAO Fang2, ZHI Mujun2, WANG Le1, LIU Ruyao1, FENG Juanjuan1()   

  1. 1 Department of Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
    2 Department of Acupuncture, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450000, China
  • Received:2025-01-05 Accepted:2025-03-04 Online:2025-12-15 Published:2025-03-14
  • Contact: FENG Juanjuan, Department of Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China. kffjj2008@sina.com, Telephone: +86-371-66278028
  • Supported by:
    Clinical Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Intermittent Oro-esophageal Tube Feeding in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Dysphagia(LHGJ20220348);Mechanism of Acupuncture in Preventing and Treating Limb Spasticity after Stroke Based on Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Lactylation and Mitophagy(232300420256)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible mechanisms by which acupuncture improves post-stroke limb spasticity using single-cell sequencing technology.

METHODS: Thirty-two rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Control, Sham, Model, and Acupuncture. The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established, and the acupuncture groups received acupuncture treatment. After treatment, brain morphological changes and the degree of neurological impairment were assessed. The effect of acupuncture on the proportion of brain cell types in the ischemic penumbra of MCAO rats was analyzed using single-cell transcriptomics, and the expression and enrichment of differentially expressed genes were examined. Finally, selected differential genes were validated by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining showed that the infarct area in MCAO rats was significantly reduced after acupuncture. Garcia scoring, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling demonstrated that acupuncture reduced brain damage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that acupuncture significantly decreased serum inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed marked changes in cell type proportions between the Acupuncture and Model groups. A total of 207 differential genes were identified, including 157 upregulated and 50 downregulated genes. Analysis of macrophage-specific differential genes in the ischemic penumbra showed enrichment in Gene Ontology terms such as Ras protein signal transduction and regulation of GTPase activity, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways including lysosome, axon guidance, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. S100a8 and leukocyte specific transcript 1 (LST1) were identified as key differential genes.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the key differential genes S100a8 and LST1 may alleviate post-stroke limb spasticity by regulating the inflammatory response in the ischemic penumbra.

Key words: acupuncture, single-cell gene expression analysis, macrophages, post-stroke spasticity, central microenvironment

Cite this article

ZHANG Qiongshuai, LI Yi, CAO Fang, ZHI Mujun, WANG Le, LIU Ruyao, FENG Juanjuan. Effect of acupuncture on brain microenvironment in rats with post-stroke limb spasticity based on single-cell transcriptome sequencing technology[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025, 45(6): 1273-1282.