Effects of mild moxibustion on intestinal microbiome and NLRP3 inflammasome in rats with 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis.
10.1016/j.joim.2020.12.004
- Author:
Bing-Rong LI
1
,
2
;
Shi-Yun SHAO
3
;
Long YUAN
4
;
Ru JIA
3
;
Jian SUN
3
;
Qing JI
3
;
Hua SUI
3
;
Li-Hong ZHOU
3
;
Yi ZHANG
3
;
Hui LIU
3
;
Qi LI
5
;
Yan WANG
6
;
Bi-Meng ZHANG
7
Author Information
1. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
3. Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology & Cancer Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
4. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
5. Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology & Cancer Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: qili@shutcm.edu.cn.
6. Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology & Cancer Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: wangyan_sg@126.com.
7. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China. Electronic address: pjzhtiger08@aliyun.com.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Chemotherapy;
Intestinal mucositis;
Microbiome;
Moxibustion;
NLRP3;
Rats
- From:
Journal of Integrative Medicine
2021;19(2):144-157
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE:The present study investigated how mild moxibustion treatment affects the intestinal microbiome and expression of NLRP3-related immune factors in a rat model of intestinal mucositis (IM) induced with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu).
METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, chemotherapy, moxibustion and probiotics groups. The IM rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu. Mild moxibustion treatment and intragastric probiotic administration were provided once daily for 15 days. Tissue morphology, serum levels of inflammatory factors and the expression levels of tight junction proteins, caspase-1, gasdermin D and NLRP3 were evaluated in colon tissue, through hematoxylin and eosin staining, electron microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Gut microbiome profiling was conducted through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.
RESULTS:Moxibustion and probiotic treatments significantly increased the expression levels of tight junction proteins, reduced cell apoptosis and the expression levels of caspase-1, gasdermin D and NLRP3; they also decreased the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-18, while increasing serum levels of IL-10. Moxibustion and probiotic treatments also corrected the reduction in α-diversity and β-diversity in IM rats, greatly increased the proportion of the dominant bacterial genus Lactobacillus and reduced the abundance of the genera Roseburia and Escherichia in chemotherapy-treated rats to levels observed in healthy animals. We also found that these dominant genera were firmly correlated with the regulation of pyroptosis-associated proteins and inflammatory factors. Finally, moxibustion and probiotic treatments elicited similar effects in regulating intestinal host-microbial homeostasis and the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome-related factors.
CONCLUSION:Moxibustion exerts its therapeutic effect on IM by ameliorating mucosal damage and reducing inflammation. Moreover, moxibustion modulates the gut microbiota, likely via decreasing the expression levels of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
