Regulatory effects of moxibustion on ubiquitin and NLRP3 proteins in colon of ulcerative colitis rats
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-020-1162-3
- VernacularTitle:艾灸对溃疡性结肠炎大鼠结肠Ubiquitin及NLRP3蛋白的调节作用
- Author:
Xi-Ying LI
;
Guang YANG
;
Li-Jie WU
;
Jue HONG
;
Yue ZHAO
;
Jie LIU
;
Xie-He KONG
;
Xiao-Qing DONG
;
Fang-Yuan ZHI
;
Xiao-Peng MA
;
Ling YANG
;
Dan ZHANG
;
Yan-Ping YANG
- Keywords:
Moxibustion Therapy;
Moxa Stick Moxibustion;
Point;
Tianshu (ST 25);
Colitis;
Ulcerative;
Ubiquitin;
NLRP3 Protein;
Interleukin-1beta;
Rats
- From:
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science
2020;18(2):96-104
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To observe the effects of moxibustion on colonic inflammation, and the expressions of ubiquitin and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (Nod)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) proteins in rats with ulcerative colitis (UC), and to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of moxibustion in the UC treatment. Methods: Clean grade male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group (NG), a model group (MG), a moxa-stick moxibustion group (MSMG) and a Western medicine group (WMG). UC model was prepared by freely drinking 35 g/L dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) solution. Bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) were selected for mild moxibustion treatment in the MSMG; mesalazine solution was intragastrically administrated in the WMG. Rats in the NG and MG were only grasped and fixed as in the MSMG without any treatment. After treatment, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe and score the colonic pathological damage under light microscope; immunofluorescence method was used to determine the expression of colonic ubiquitin protein; immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of colonic interleukin (IL)-1β and NLRP3 proteins. Results: The colon tissue was severely injured, and the pathological score was significantly increased in the MG than in the NG (P<0.01), and the protein expressions of ubiquitin, NLRP3 and IL-1β in the colon were significantly increased (all P<0.01). Compared with the MG, the colonic damage was repaired, the inflammation and pathological scores were reduced, and the ubiquitin, NLRP3 and IL-1β protein expressions were decreased in the MSMG and WMG (all P<0.01). Correlation analysis revealed that the ubiquitin protein expression was correlated with the colonic pathological score and the NLRP3 protein expression (r=0.677, P<0.01; r=0.536, P<0.05). Conclusion: Moxibustion can down-regulate the protein expressions of ubiquitin, NLRP3 and IL-1β in the colon of UC rats, which may be one of the mechanisms to promote the repair of colonic inflammatory lesions and exert anti-inflammatory effects.
