| Objective: To explore the potential mechanism of rehabilitation exercise combined with acupuncture in treating Parkinson"s disease (PD) from the perspective of the miR-223/NLRP3 signaling axis. Methods: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation (Sham) group, PD group, PD + acupuncture + rehabilitation exercise group, and PD + levodopa group. A PD model was established using the unilateral striatal dual-target method, and the rotational frequency of rats in each group was observed. HE staining was used to examine pathological changes in the substantia nigra region of the rat brain. ELISA was employed to measure the levels of DA, 5-HT, DOPAC, and HVA in the striatum of each group. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of TH in the substantia nigra region. qPCR was used to measure miR-223 mRNA levels in the rat brain, and WB was conducted to assess the protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1β in the brain tissues of each group. Results: Compared with the PD group, the treated rats showed a significant decrease in rotational frequency (P<0.01), and the degree of neuronal damage in the substantia nigra region was alleviated. Additionally, the levels of DA, 5-HT, DOPAC, and HVA in the striatum were increased, and the TH-positive cell rate in the substantia nigra region was significantly elevated (P<0.01). qPCR and WB results revealed that miR-223 mRNA expression was significantly higher than in the PD group, while the protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1β were significantly reduced (P<0.01). Conclusion: Rehabilitation exercise combined with acupuncture can alleviate Parkinson"s disease in rats by regulating the miR-223/NLRP3 signaling axis. |
