Objective To observe the regulation of APJ and its ligand Apelin on the angiogenesis pathway after cerebral infarction and the intervention effect of acupuncture.Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into model group(n=90)

electroacupuncture(EA)group(n=90)

sham operation group(n=90)and control group(n=10).The first three groups were further divided into 1

3

6

9

12

24 hand 3

7

12dsubgroups(n=10in each subgroup).The cerebral infarction model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).EA(15Hz

2mA)was applied to"Shuigou"(GV 26)for 20 min in the EA group.The 1

3

6

9

12

24 hsubgroups were treated immediately after modeling

the 3

7

9dsubgroups were treated once daily for 3

7or 9days.Real-time fluorescent quantitative(RT-PCR)and Western blot were applied to detect the changes of Apelin and APJ in cerebrovascular endothelial cells

respectively.Results Compared with the control group

the expression of Apelin-APJ mRNA was decreased in the model group(12h

12 d

P<0.05

P<0.01);After EA

the Apelin mRNA expression was increased in the 12 hand 7dsubgroups(P<0.01)

while the APJ mRNA expression was increased in the 6

9

12hsubgroups(P<0.05

P<0.01).Compared with the control group

the Apelin(1

3

6

24 hand 3

7

12d)and APJ(1

3

6

9hand 3d)protein expressions were decreased in the model group(P<0.01

P<0.05);After EA

the Apelin protein expression was increased in the 6

24 hand 3

7

12dsubgroups(P<0.05

P<0.01)

while the APJ protein expression was increased in the 1

9

12

24 hand 3

7

12dsubgroups(P<0.05

P<0.01).Conclusion EA can up-regulate the expression of Apelin-APJ mRNA and protein of cerebral vascular endothelial cell in MCAO rats which has an important role in the establishment of blood vessel regeneration and collateral circulation.