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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2024 , Vol. 44 >Issue 2: 345 - 352

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20240203.006

Mechanism of acupuncture in attenuating cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury based on nuclear receptor coactivator 4 mediated ferritinophagy

  • Xinchang ZHANG ,
  • Zheng HUANG ,
  • Peiyan HUANG ,
  • Mengning YANG ,
  • Zhihui ZHANG ,
  • Guangxia NI
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  • 1 College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
    2 Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China

Received date: 2022-12-25

  Accepted date: 2023-05-09

  Online published: 2024-02-03

Supported by

The National Natural Science Foundation of China: Mechanism of Acupuncture in Extending Thrombolytic Time Window of Cerebral Infarction Based on Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 4 Mediated Ferritinophagy(82205238);National Natural Science Foundation of China: Exploring the Mechanism of Acupuncture Improving Thrombolytic Safety in Cerebral Infarction through the ERK1/2-mTOR Pathway Based on Autophagy Apoptosis Interaction(82074525);Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province: Experimental Study on Acupuncture Regulation of Ferroptosis-NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway to Reduce Hemorrhagic Transformation after Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction(BK20210689);Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Development Plan Project of Jiangsu Province: Clinical and Experimental Study on Acupuncture Improving the Safety of rt-PA Intravenous Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction(YB2020005)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of acupuncture treatment on cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) and reveal the underlying mechanism of the effect based on nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediated ferritinophagy.

METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into four groups: the sham group, model group, acupuncture group, and sham acupuncture group. After 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), reperfusion was performed for 24 h to induce CIRI. The rats were treated with acupuncture at the Neiguan (PC6) and Shuigou (GV26) acupoints. Their neurological function was evaluated by taking their Bederson scores at 2 h after ischaemia and 24 h after reperfusion. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was applied to assess the cerebral infarct volume at 24 h after reperfusion. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferrous iron (Fe2+) levels were observed after 24 h of reperfusion using an assay kit. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of NCOA4 and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) at 24 h after reperfusion. Moreover, the colocalization of ferritin with neurons, NCOA4 with microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), and NCOA4 with ferritin was visualized using immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS: Acupuncture significantly improved neurological function and decreased cerebral infarct volume in the acupuncture group. Following CIRI, the expression of NCOA4, LC3 and FTH1 was increased, which enhanced ferritinophagy and induced an inappropriate accumulation of Fe2+ and MDA in the ischaemic brain. However, acupuncture dramatically downregulated the expression of NCOA4, LC3 and FTH1, inhibited the overactivation of ferritinophagy, and decreased the levels of MDA and Fe2+.

CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can inhibit NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy and protect neurons against CIRI in a rat model.

Key words： acupuncture; ferritinophagy; ferroptosis; ferritin; nuclear receptor coactivator 4; cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury

Cite this article

Xinchang ZHANG , Zheng HUANG , Peiyan HUANG , Mengning YANG , Zhihui ZHANG , Guangxia NI . Mechanism of acupuncture in attenuating cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury based on nuclear receptor coactivator 4 mediated ferritinophagy[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024 , 44(2) : 345 -352 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20240203.006

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