ArticleIBRO neuroscience reports2025
Acupuncture regulates astrocyte neurotoxic polarization to protect blood-brain barrier integrity in delayed thrombolysis through mediating ERK1/2/Cx43 axis.
Article in IBRO neuroscience reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Dual Role of Connexins in Stroke, Neurotrauma, Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Disorders: A Global Systematic Review.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Pooled it
- Acupuncture improves blood-brain barrier integrity through multi-targeted mechanisms: a preclinical meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Analytical Methods and Application of Single-Cell and Single-Nucleus Transcriptomics in the Study of Ischemic Stroke.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Acupuncture for Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence (2020-2025).Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2026Review
- Single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomics in ischemic stroke: cellular mechanisms and therapeutic implications.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Review
- Acupuncture's Regulatory Role in Glial Cells and Their Interactions for Antidepressant Effects: A Review of Research Progress.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Review
- Molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective effect of rutin.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Enhancing glymphatic transport through angiotensin II type 2 receptor activation promotes neurological recovery after traumatic brain injury.Theranostics · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Thrombolytic therapy remains the standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The narrow window for thrombolysis means that delay in treatment worsens brain injury. Astrocytes regulate blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and neuroinflammation, yet their neurotoxic polarization exacerbates injury in neuropathological conditions, including ischemic stroke. Delayed recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis disrupts astrocyte homeostasis, further aggravating brain injury. This study investigates whether acupuncture, a key therapy in traditional Chinese medicine, alleviates delayed thrombolysis-induced injury by modulating astrocyte neurotoxic polarization and elucidates the underlying signaling pathway. Methods: A rat model of embolic stroke with delayed rt-PA thrombolysis was established. The effects of infarct volume, BBB integrity, and neuroinflammation of acupuncture were evaluated. Bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses were performed to assess astrocyte-specific transcriptional changes. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and pharmacological inhibition experiments validated molecular mechanisms. Results: Acupuncture reduced infarct volume, improved neurological function, and restored BBB integrity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed dynamic regulation of astrocyte neurotoxic polarization following acupuncture intervention. Further validation experiments demonstrated that acupuncture suppressed the ERK1/2-Cx43 cascade, thereby attenuating astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity. Pharmacological modulation of this pathway replicated the protective effects of acupuncture, highlighting the role in mitigating astrocyte dysfunction and promoting BBB recovery. Conclusion: Acupuncture mitigates delayed thrombolysis-induced brain injury by modulating astrocyte polarization via the ERK1/2-Cx43 pathway. These findings highlight acupuncture as a potential strategy to enhance thrombolytic therapy safety in ischemic stroke.
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