Objective    To study the role of electrical acupuncture (EA) in activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and its mechanism underlying the angiogenesis in rats with focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.     Methods     A focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model was established by filament occlusion. Heku point (LI 4) was selected for electrical acupuncture. Eighty SD rats were randomly divided into control group（n=10）

model group（n=30）

EA group （n=30）

and EA+LY294002 group（n=10）. Rats in model and EA groups accepted reperfusion on days 1

3 and 7. Expression of  p-AKT1 and AC133 was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. Expression of AC133 mRNA was detected by PCR. Expression of p-AKT1 and AKT1 was detected by Western blotting.     Results    The expression level of p-AKT1

AC133 and AC133 mRNA was higher in model and EA groups than in control group（P0.05）with no significant difference in expression of AKT1 between the 2 groups. The expression level of p-AKT1

AC133 and AC133 mRNA was significantly higher in EA group than in control group in 3 and 7 d after reperfusion（P0.05）. The expression level of p-AKT1

AC133 and AC133 mRNA was significantly lower in EA+LY294002 group than in EA group （P0.05）

with no difference between EA+LY294002 group and control group.     Conclusion     EA can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

promote EPC homing to the ischemic zone

  and thus lead to angiogenesis.