Transcriptomic Changes Associated with Electroacupuncture in a DMCAO Model of Delayed Cognitive Impairment

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genomics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Delayed Cognitive Impairment (DCIS) affects a significant portion of stroke survivors.
• Clinical evidence suggests electroacupuncture may mitigate post-stroke DCIS.
• Limited animal model data exists on electroacupuncture's mechanisms for DCIS.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate electroacupuncture's therapeutic mechanisms for post-stroke DCIS.
• Utilize a Distal Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (DMCAO) mouse model.
• Employ hippocampal transcriptomic analysis to identify key molecular pathways.

Main Methods:

• Established a DMCAO mouse model for ischemic stroke.
• Administered electroacupuncture treatment to affected mice.
• Performed high-throughput RNA sequencing on hippocampal tissue.
• Conducted Gene Ontology (GO), KEGG pathway, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network analyses.

Main Results:

• The DMCAO model successfully replicated DCIS features.
• Electroacupuncture treatment enhanced cognitive performance and hippocampal neuroplasticity.
• Identified 116 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DMCAO group and 69 DEGs in the electroacupuncture-treated group.

Conclusions:

• Electroacupuncture demonstrated efficacy in improving DCIS in the DMCAO mouse model.
• Transcriptomic analysis revealed modulation of nerve fiber development, axonal growth, and neuronal regulation.
• Identified key genes (Gna13, Hipk2, Stambp) and pathways involved in neuronal recovery and axonal function.