OBJECTIVE:To explore whether the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9)/tissue inhibitors of MMPs(TIMPs)gene expression through histone acetylation is a possible mechanism by which electroacupuncture(EA)prote...OBJECTIVE:To explore whether the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9)/tissue inhibitors of MMPs(TIMPs)gene expression through histone acetylation is a possible mechanism by which electroacupuncture(EA)protects blood-brain barrier(BBB)integrity in a middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)rat model.METHODS:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups:the sham group,the MCAO group,the MCAO+EA(MEA)group,and the MCAO+EA+HAT inhibitor(HATi)group.The MCAO model was generated by blocking the middle cerebral artery.EA was applied to Baihui(GV20).Samples were collected 1 or 3 d after reperfusion.Neurological function scores and Evans blue extravasation were employed to evaluate the poststroke injury.The effect of EA on MMP-9/TIMPs gene expression was assessed by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP).RESULTS:Our results showed that EA treatment prominently improved neurological function and ameliorated BBB disruption.The RT-qPCR assay showed that EA reduced the expression of MMP-9 and promoted TIMP-2 mRNA expression,but HATi reversed these effects of EA.In addition,ChIP results revealed that EA decreased the enrichment of H3K9ace/H3K27ace at MMP-9 promoters and notably stimulated the recruitment of H3K9ace/H3K27ace at TIMP-2 promoter.CONCLUSION:EA treatment at Baihui(GV20)regulates the transcription of MMP-9 and TIMP-2 through histone acetylation modification in the acute stage of stroke,which preserves the structural integrity of the BBB in MCAO rats.These findings suggested that the histone acetylation-mediated transcriptional activity of target genes may be a crucial mechanism of EA treatment in stroke.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China:the Role of Intestinal Flora-Treg/γδT Cell-IL-17 Signaling in the Neuroprotective Effect of Electroacupuncture on Ischemic Brain Injury(No.81774403)the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Province of China:Study on the Mechanism of Acupuncture Antistroke Immune Inflammatory Response Based on Intestinal Treg/γδT Cell-IL-17 Signaling Pathway(No.BK20171492)+2 种基金the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Practice Project of the Jiangsu Province of China:a Study based on the Butyric Acid-HDAC-Foxp3 Pathway to Explore the Regulatory Effect of Acupuncture on Intestinal Treg in Rats with Stroke(No.KYCX21_1715)a Study on the Anti-brain Injury of Electroacupuncture Based on Intestinal Microbiota-Treg/γδT Cell-IL-17 Pathway(No.KYCX21_1716)the Key University Science Research Project of Jiangsu Province:the Role of Preactivation of the Treg Immune Response in the Mechanism of Anti-stroke Neuroinflammatory Response in Acupuncture Pretreatment(No.22KJA360003)。
文摘OBJECTIVE:To explore whether the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9)/tissue inhibitors of MMPs(TIMPs)gene expression through histone acetylation is a possible mechanism by which electroacupuncture(EA)protects blood-brain barrier(BBB)integrity in a middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)rat model.METHODS:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups:the sham group,the MCAO group,the MCAO+EA(MEA)group,and the MCAO+EA+HAT inhibitor(HATi)group.The MCAO model was generated by blocking the middle cerebral artery.EA was applied to Baihui(GV20).Samples were collected 1 or 3 d after reperfusion.Neurological function scores and Evans blue extravasation were employed to evaluate the poststroke injury.The effect of EA on MMP-9/TIMPs gene expression was assessed by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP).RESULTS:Our results showed that EA treatment prominently improved neurological function and ameliorated BBB disruption.The RT-qPCR assay showed that EA reduced the expression of MMP-9 and promoted TIMP-2 mRNA expression,but HATi reversed these effects of EA.In addition,ChIP results revealed that EA decreased the enrichment of H3K9ace/H3K27ace at MMP-9 promoters and notably stimulated the recruitment of H3K9ace/H3K27ace at TIMP-2 promoter.CONCLUSION:EA treatment at Baihui(GV20)regulates the transcription of MMP-9 and TIMP-2 through histone acetylation modification in the acute stage of stroke,which preserves the structural integrity of the BBB in MCAO rats.These findings suggested that the histone acetylation-mediated transcriptional activity of target genes may be a crucial mechanism of EA treatment in stroke.