Effects of Herb-Partitioned Moxibustion on Autophagy and Immune Activity in the Colon Tissue of Rats with Crohn's Disease

Jimeng Zhao; Zhe Ma; Handan Zheng; Yan Huang; Luyi Wu; Huangan Wu; Yin Shi; Huirong Liu; Yanan Liu

doi:10.1155/2022/3534874

Effects of Herb-Partitioned Moxibustion on Autophagy and Immune Activity in the Colon Tissue of Rats with Crohn's Disease

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Jan 28:2022:3534874. doi: 10.1155/2022/3534874. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jimeng Zhao¹, Zhe Ma¹, Handan Zheng¹, Yan Huang¹, Luyi Wu², Huangan Wu¹, Yin Shi¹, Huirong Liu¹, Yanan Liu¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
² Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of action of herb-partitioned moxibustion on CD from the perspective of autophagy and immunity.

Methods: The expression of microtubule-associated protein LC3II and SQSTM1/p62 in the colon tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was used to detect the expression of autophagic and immune-related proteins in the colon, such as LC3II, SQSTM1/p62, Beclin1, ATG16L1, NOD2, IRGM, IL-1β, IL-17, and TNF-β. mRNA levels of immune factors, such as IL-1β, IL-17, and TNF-β, and autophagy signaling molecules, such as PI3KC, AKT1, LKB1, and mTOR, were detected by RT-qPCR.

Results: Herb-partitioned moxibustion reduced the protein levels of ATG16L1, NOD2, IRGM, LC3II, and Beclin1 (P < 0.01) and both the protein and mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-17, and TNF-β in CD rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and it also increased the expression of SQSTM1/p62 protein (P < 0.01). The modulatory effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion on ATG16L1, NOD2, IRGM, LC3II, TNF-β, and IL-17 protein and IL-1β protein and mRNA were better than those of mesalazine (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Herb-partitioned moxibustion also reduced colon PI3KC, AKT1, and LKB1 mRNA expressions in CD rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and increased mTOR protein expression (P < 0.05). And the modulatory effect of herb-partitioned moxibustion on AKT1 mRNA was better than that of mesalazine (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Herb-partitioned moxibustion may inhibit excessively activated autophagy and modulate the expression of immune-related factors by regulating the LKB1-mTOR-PI3KC signal transduction networks, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation in CD rats.