Abstract: Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture on expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in brain of neonatal rats injured by intrauterine infection. Methods 43 pregnant Wistar rats were divided into two groups: lipopolysaccharide (LPS, n=35) and normal saline (n=8, as control), which were consecutively injected intraperitoneally with LPS (450 μg/kg) or saline on the 17th and 18th day of gestation. LPS group was randomly divided into the acupuncture group and model group. Acupuncture group was given acupuncture 7～21 d after being born. bFGF expression was assayed with immunohistochemistry. Results The number of bFGF positive neurons in the cerebral white matter was large in the acupuncture group, medium in the model group and little in the control group. Conclusion Acupuncture may be used to treat brain injury caused by intrauterine infection at the early stage, which may result from its up-regulating the expression of bFGF in the cerebral white matter.

Key words: intrauterine infection, white matter, acupuncture, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)