Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and acupuncture (A) on the proliferation of stem cells in the subependymal zone (SPZ) of the lateral ventricle and the frontal lobe cortex in hyperlipemia(HL) combined with cerebral ischemia (CI) rats. Methods A total of 72 male SD rats were randomized into control

HL

HL+ EA

CI

CI+A

HL+CI

HL+CI+EAⅠ and HL+CI+EAⅡgroups (n= 9 /group).HL model was established by feeding the animals with high fat forage for 6 weeks and CI model was established by FeCl3-induced occlusion of the unilateral middle cerebral artery. EA was applied to "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Fenglong" (ST 40) once daily for 17 days for HL+ EA group; and acupuncture to "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shuigou" (GV 26) once daily for 7 days for CI+A group. For HL+CI+EA Ⅰ group

EA was applied to SP 6+ST 40 first before CI

once daily for 10 days

followed by EA of SP 6+ST 40 and acupuncture of GV 20+GV 26 for 7 days after CI. For HL+CI+EA Ⅱ group

no treatment was given before CI

then

acupuncture of GV 20+GV 26 and EA of SP 6+ST 40 were given once daily for 7 days after CI.The immunoactivity of Nestin and proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) of SPZ was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results In comparison with normal control group

the numbers of both Nestin and PCNA immunoreaction (IR) positive cells in the dorsolateral extension and the wall of the lateral ventricle of the brain increased significantly in CI and HL+CI groups (P<0.01). Compared with CI group

the numbers of Nestin and PCNA IR positive cells in the dorsolateral extension and the wall of the lateral ventricle in CI+A group increased considerably (P<0.01). In comparison with HL+CI group

both Nestin and PCNA IR positive cell numbers in the dorsolateral extension and the wall of the lateral ventricle of the brain in HL+CI+EA Ⅰand HL+CI+EA Ⅱ groups increased significantly (P<0.01)

and the effect of HL+CI+EA Ⅰgroup was markedly superior to that of HL+CI+EA Ⅱ group in upregulating the numbers of Nestin and PCNA IR positive cells in the aforementioned regions of the lateral ventricle (P<0.01). No significant differences were found between HL and control groups

and between HL+EA and HL groups in the numbers of Nestin and PCNA IR positive cells in the dorsolateral extension and the wall of the lateral ventricle of the brain (P>0.05). Conclusion EA can upregulate Nestin and PCNA expression of the dorsolateral extension and the wall of the lateral ventricle of the brain on the ischemic side in rats with CI

and with HL+CI

which may contribute to its effects in promoting the proliferation and migration of neural stem cells in the brain.