The Involvement of TLR2-NF-κB Pathway and Acupoint Sensitization in Acupuncture for Improving the Neurological Function in Rats with the Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Abstract Acupoints are both the sensory points and reaction points of organ physiological functions and pathological changes. The stimulation from needles on acupoints have been proved to improve the symptoms of various diseases, especially Intra-cerebral Hemorrhage (ICH). Herein, the effect of acupuncture on the toll-like receptor signaling pathway and the role of acupoint sensitization in ICH are discussed. A rat model of ICH was induced by infusing autologous blood into the caudate nucleus. Acupuncture was performed after ICH once a day for 30 min. On the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day of acupuncture, the Neurological Deficit Scale (NDS), blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, c-Jun, c-Fos, p-c-Jun, p-c-Fos, TLR2 were observed. Compared with the sham group, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and TLR2 noticeably increased, but not the levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, p-c-Jun, p-c-Fos. Compared with the ICH model group, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α in the acupoint treated with simvastatin or acupuncture were reduced, and the same phenomenon were observed in p-c-Jun, p-c-Fos, TLR2, MCP-1 in the local acupoints. The results indicated that acupuncture could recover the BBB, neurological function, and reduce the levels of inflammation and mast cells (MCs) degranulation in ICH rats. In short, acupuncture at ST36 can effectively improve the NDS and open the BBB in ICH rats, which may be related to down-regulation of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TLR2, and MCs degranulation, but no close relationship was found with the functions of c-Fos/c-Jun.