Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which moxibustion regulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ulcerative colitis(UC)rats through the P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)pathway.Metho...Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which moxibustion regulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ulcerative colitis(UC)rats through the P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)pathway.Methods:UC was induced using dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)in both wild-type(WT)and P2X7R knockout(KO)mice.General health conditions,pathological changes,and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS)staining of the colonic tissues were analyzed.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect NF-κB p65 protein expression in colonic tissues.Male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to four groups:normal,model,normal+herb-partitioned moxibustion,and model+herb-partitioned moxibustion.UC was induced in rats by cyclic DSS administration.Rats in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group received moxibustion at the bilateral Tianshu(ST25)and Qihai(RN6)acupoints.The effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion were evaluated regarding general health conditions and histopathological alterations in colon tissue.The protein expression of P2X7R and NF-κB p65 in colonic tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry,whereas interleukin(IL)-10 mRNA levels were quantified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR).Furthermore,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)and IL-6.Results:Colonic epithelial damage and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced in P2X7R KO mice compared to WT mice,along with reduced expression of NF-κB p65 protein in colonic tissues(P<0.05).Moxibustion improves histopathological damage,goblet cell number,and intestinal mucus secretion in rats with UC.Compared to the normal group,the model group exhibited increased histopathological scores,serum TNF-α,and IL-6 levels,as well as elevated P2X7R and NF-κB p65 protein expression in colonic tissues(P<0.05).In comparison to the model group,the model+herb-partitioned moxibustion group demonstrated significantly lower histopathological scores,reduced serum TNF-αand IL-6 levels,and decreased P2X7R and NF-κB p65 protein expression(P<0.05).Conclusions:Moxibustion at“Tianshu”and“Qihai”acupoints may inhibit the levels of IL-6 and TNF-αinflammatory factors and reduce inflammation in the UC colonic mucosa by regulating the P2X7R/NF-κB p65 pathway in UC colonic tissues.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82174501,82105012,82205293,82205262)Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation(22ZR1458400)+2 种基金Shanghai Talent Development Fund Project(2021058)Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Development Project(23KFL111)State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine high-level key discipline construction project(zyyzdxk-2023068)。
文摘Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which moxibustion regulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ulcerative colitis(UC)rats through the P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)pathway.Methods:UC was induced using dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)in both wild-type(WT)and P2X7R knockout(KO)mice.General health conditions,pathological changes,and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS)staining of the colonic tissues were analyzed.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect NF-κB p65 protein expression in colonic tissues.Male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to four groups:normal,model,normal+herb-partitioned moxibustion,and model+herb-partitioned moxibustion.UC was induced in rats by cyclic DSS administration.Rats in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group received moxibustion at the bilateral Tianshu(ST25)and Qihai(RN6)acupoints.The effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion were evaluated regarding general health conditions and histopathological alterations in colon tissue.The protein expression of P2X7R and NF-κB p65 in colonic tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry,whereas interleukin(IL)-10 mRNA levels were quantified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR).Furthermore,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)and IL-6.Results:Colonic epithelial damage and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced in P2X7R KO mice compared to WT mice,along with reduced expression of NF-κB p65 protein in colonic tissues(P<0.05).Moxibustion improves histopathological damage,goblet cell number,and intestinal mucus secretion in rats with UC.Compared to the normal group,the model group exhibited increased histopathological scores,serum TNF-α,and IL-6 levels,as well as elevated P2X7R and NF-κB p65 protein expression in colonic tissues(P<0.05).In comparison to the model group,the model+herb-partitioned moxibustion group demonstrated significantly lower histopathological scores,reduced serum TNF-αand IL-6 levels,and decreased P2X7R and NF-κB p65 protein expression(P<0.05).Conclusions:Moxibustion at“Tianshu”and“Qihai”acupoints may inhibit the levels of IL-6 and TNF-αinflammatory factors and reduce inflammation in the UC colonic mucosa by regulating the P2X7R/NF-κB p65 pathway in UC colonic tissues.
