Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture therapy on 14-3-3

Bcl-2and Bax expression levels in the cerebral cortex in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD).Methods Timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rat dams were delivered either vaginally(normal group)

or by C-section(sham-operation group)or by C-section with 5min of global anoxia(anoxia group)

with 8rats in each group.The rat pups of the anoxia group were randomly divided into model group and acupuncture group(n=8).Acupuncture stimulation of"Naosanzhen""Niesanzhen"and"Zhisanzhen"acupoints was given beginning from the 14 th day after birth

once daily for 7consecutive days.All rat pups were killed by decapitation on day 21 after birth

and then 14-3-3

Bcl-2and Bax immunoactivity(expression)in the cerebral cortex were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results In comparison with the normal group

the expression level of cerebral cortical 14-3-3was significantly decreased

and that of Bax remarkably increased in the model group(P<0.01

P<0.05).Compared to the model group

cortical 14-3-3and Bcl-2expression levels were markedly up-regulated in the acupuncture group(P<0.01

P<0.05).Compared to the normal group

cortical 14-3-3expression level was obviously lower

but Bax expression level significantly higher in the sham-operation group(P<0.05

P<0.01).No significant differences were found between the model and normal groups in the expression levels of Bcl-2

and between the acupuncture and model groups in the expression levels of Bax(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture intervention can increase the expression of 14-3-3and Bcl-2in the cerebral cortex in HIBD rats.