Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of acupuncture on inflammatory damage and microRNA (miR)-214 in stroke model rats. Methods Modified Longa thread suppository method was used to establish 36 rat models of stroke. After successful modeling, rats were randomly divided into model group, acupuncture group (acupuncture at Yanglingquan and Quchi points) and positive control group (0.4 mg/kg nimodipine). Twelve rats were used as the sham operation group. Longa score was used to evaluate the behavior of rats. The volume of cerebral infarction was measured by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the coronary region of the brain of rats. The level of miR-214 in brain tissue was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR). Western blot assay was used to detect the phosphatase and tensin homologous deletion gene on chromosome ten (PTEN), threonine protein kinase (AKT), phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) proteins in the coronary region of rat brain. Results Compared with the sham operation group, the inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were severe in the model group. Longa score, cerebral infarction volume, miR-214 level, p-AKT/AKT, IL-6 and nuclear NF-κB protein levels increased (P＜0.05). PTEN and cytoplasmic NF-κB protein levels decreased (P＜0.05). Compared with the model group, the inflammation and fibrosis were reduced in the acupuncture group and positive control group. Longa score, miR-214 level, p-AKT/AKT, nuclear NF-κB and IL-6 protein levels decreased, and cerebral infarction volume decreased in the acupuncture group (P＜0.05). PTEN and cytoplasmic NF-κB protein levels increased (P＜0.05). Conclusion The acupuncture can reduce the inflammatory damage of cerebral coronary brain tissue by inhibiting miR-214 and downstream signal pathways in stroke model rats.

Key words: stroke, microRNAs, brain infarction, models, animal, acupuncture therapy, inflammation, microRNA-214