Acupuncture improves transplanted neural stem cells in dementia mice by modulating hippocampal microenvironment via microRNA-124 mediated Notch and Wnt pathways

Figure 4 Expression of nestin, neuronal nuclear antigen, glial fibrillary acidic protein, Notch and Wnt signaling pathway proteins and genes. A: Notch homolog 1 and Delta-like 1 gene expression; B: Hairy and enhancer of split 1 and hairy and enhancer of split 5 gene expression; C: Glycogen synthase kinase 3β, Wingless-related integration site 1 (Wnt1), Wnt3a and β-catenin gene expression; D: Notch homolog 1 and Delta-like 1 protein expression; E: Hairy and enhancer of split 1 and hairy and enhancer of split 5 protein expression; F: Hairy/enhancer of split related protein expression; G: Hairy/enhancer of split related protein gene expression; H: Glycogen synthase kinase 3β, Wnt1, Wnt3a and β-catenin protein expression; I: Myc proto-oncogene, cell cycle protein D1 and cell cycle protein D2 protein expression; J: Myc proto-oncogene, cell cycle protein D1 and cell cycle protein D2 gene expression; K: Wnt5a, phospholipase C, protein kinase C and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II protein expression; L: Wnt5a, phospholipase C, protein kinase C and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II gene expression; M: Nestin, neuronal nuclear antigen, glial fibrillary acidic protein, Notch and Wnt signaling pathway protein expression; N: Nestin, neuronal nuclear antigen and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. ^aP < 0.05, compared with the senescence-accelerated mice resistant 1 control group; ^bP < 0.05, compared with the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 control group; ^cP < 0.05, compared with the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-sham transplantation group; ^dP < 0.05, compared with the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with non-acupoint group; ^eP < 0.05, compared with the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with acupoint and microRNA-124 low expression group. RC: Senescence-accelerated mice resistant 1 control group; PC: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 control group; PT: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation group; PS: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-sham transplantation group; PTA: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with acupoint group; PTN: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with non-acupoint group; PTAH: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with acupoint and microRNA-124 high expression group; PTAL: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with acupoint and microRNA-124 low expression group; PTAC: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8-neural stem cells transplantation with acupoint and microRNA-124 control group; Notch1: Notch homolog 1; Delta1: Delta-like 1; Hes1: Hairy and enhancer of split 1; Hes5: Hairy and enhancer of split 5; GSK3β: Glycogen synthase kinase 3β; Wnt1: Wingless-related integration site 1; Wnt3a: Wingless-related integration site 3a; HERP: Hairy/enhancer of split related protein; C-myc: Myc proto-oncogene; Cyclin D1: Cell cycle protein D1; Cyclin D2: Cell cycle protein D2; Wnt5a: Wingless-type integration site family member 5a; PLC: Phospholipase C; PKC: Protein kinase C; CamkII: Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II; NeuN: Neuronal nuclear antigen; GFAP: Glial fibrillary acidic protein.