[Effect of Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and autophagy-related proteins of hippocampus in rats with post-stroke depression].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the improvement of Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture on depression-like behavior in rats with post-stroke depression (PSD), and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: A total of 48 SD rats were randomized into a sham-operation group, a model group, a Tongdu Tiaoshen group and a non-meridian-non-acupoint group, 12 rats in each group. In the the model group, the Tongdu Tiaoshen group and the non-meridian-non-acupoint group, PSD model was established by the compound method of cerebral medial arterial occlusion, chronic unpredictable mild stress and isolation. Acupuncture was applied at "Dazhui"(GV 14), "Shuigou"(GV 26), "Baihui"(GV 20) and "Shenting" (GV 24) in the Tongdu Tiaoshen group, and at the bilateral dorsum hollows between 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones of the forelegs in the non-meridian-non-acupoint group, needles were retained for 40 min in the both groups, once a day, 6 times a week for 4 weeks. Before model establishment and after intervention, the ethology indice of Zea Longa neurological behavioral score, open-field test and sucrose preference test were evaluated in the 4 groups. The levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), Beclin1 and LC3B-Ⅱ/Ⅰin the CA1 region of hippocampus were detected by western blot. The expressions of Beclin1, LC3B-ⅡmRNA in the CA1 region of hippocampus were detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: After model established, compared with the sham-operation group, the Zea Longa neurological behavioral scores were increased (P<0.05), the scores of horizontal and vertical motion of the open-field test and the consumption of sucrose solution were decreased in the model group, the Tongdu Tiaoshen group and the non-meridian-non-acupoint group (P<0.05). After intervention, compared with the sham-operation group, the Zea Longa neurological behavioral score, the expression of Beclin1, LC3B-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and LC3B-Ⅱin the CA1 region of hippocampus were increased (P<0.05), the scores of horizontal and vertical motion of the open-field test, the consumption of sucrose solution and the expression of PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR were decreased in the model group (P<0.05). After intervention, compared with the model group and the non-meridian-non-acupoint group, the Zea Longa neurological behavioral score, the expression of Beclin1, LC3B-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and LC3B-Ⅱin the CA1 region of hippocampus were decreased (P<0.05), the scores of horizontal and vertical motion of the open-field test, the consumption of sucrose solution and the expression of PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR were increased in the Tongdu Tiaoshen group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture can effectively improve the depression-like behavior in PSD rats, its mechanism may relate to the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and the inhibition of hippocampal neuron autophagy.