Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture on the expression of silent information regulator factor 2-related enzyme 1(SIRT 1)and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)in rats with acute cerebral ischemia(ACI)

so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of ACI.Methods One hundred female SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:normal control(normal)

sham-operation(sham)

model

non-acupoint and acupoint

with 20 rats in each.The ACI model was established by occlusion(electric coagulation)of the middle cerebral artery after craniotomy."Baihui"(GV 20)and "Shuigou"(GV 26)or non-acupoints were punctured with filiform needles which were retained for 30 min after rotating for 1 min.The treatment was conducted once after modeling and 24 hthereafter.The cerebral infarct volume was measured after 2

3

5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining.The contents of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)

IL-6 and IL-8 in the serum and ischemic brain tissue were detected by radioimmunoassay

and the expression of protein SIRT 1 and NF-κB p 65 in the ischemic brain tissue was detected by immunoblotting.Results The brain infarction volume was obvious in the model group in comparison with the normal group(P<0.01)

but was markedly reduced in the acupoint group relevant to the model group(P<0.05).The contents of IL-1β

IL-6 and IL-8 in the serum and ischemic brain tissues

and the expression level of cerebral NF-κB p 65 protein were significantly increased(P<0.01)

and the expression of cerebral SIRT 1 was obviously decreased in the model group compared with the normal group(P<0.01).Following acupuncture intervention

the increased IL-1β

IL-6 and IL-8 contents and NF-κB p 65 expression were considerably down-regulated

and the decreased SIRT 1 expression was markedly up-regulated in the acupuncture acupoint group(P<0.05).No significant changes were found in the levels of all the indexes mentioned above between the normal and sham groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture intervention at acupoints can reduce the ischemic infarction volume in ACI rats

which may be associated with its effects in down-regulating the levels of IL-1β

IL-6 and IL-8 in the serum and ischemic brain tissue

and in regulating cerebral SIRT 1/NF-κB signaling.