Electroacupuncture improves the prognosis of ischemic stroke by
activating parasympathetic nervous system and regulating spleen immune
function in mice
Abstract
Immunosuppression due to ischemic stroke is a pivotal factor that can
increase the incidence of infectious diseases and mortality after
stroke. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been confirmed to improve the
prognosis of ischemic stroke model through the parasympathetic nervous
system (PNS). The role of EA in regulating immunosuppression after
ischemic stroke through PNS is unclear. Using ischemic stroke model, the
experiment found that EA exerted the effects in improving survival rate,
and neurological deficits, reducing infarct volume, proportion of
neuronal apoptosis, and systemic inflammation. Importantly, mice
received EA showed a significantly higher in weight, cell number, and
α7nAChR levels of spleen, suggesting the improvement of
immunosuppression; EA also activated dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus
which was the main source of vagus, the main component of the PNS.
However, none of these changes were found in mice that did not receive
EA. Taken together, EA improves the prognosis of ischemic stroke by
activating PNS and regulating spleen immune function in mice.