Objective: To observe the effect of needle pricking therapy on the expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) protein, T-box expressed in T cells(T-bet)mRNA and GATA-binding protein-3 (GATA 3) mRNA in the lung tissue of mice with asthma, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of asthma.
Methods: Thirty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control, model and needle pricking groups (10 mice/group). The asthma model was established by i. p. of Ovalbumin (OVA) suspension fluid (containing Aluminium Hydroxide 400 microg and OVA 100 microg, 50 microg/L) and forced inhalation of atomized OVA. A sharp needle was held to prick "Dazhui" (GV 14),"Feishu" (BL 13), "Dingchuan" (EX-B 1),"Fengmen" (BL 12),"Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Pishu" (BL 20) acupoint regions to let a little bit of white fibrous tissue out, then to insert into the acupoints to about 1 mm in depth, once a day for seven times. The lung tissue was taken for detecting the expression of T-bet mRNA and GATA-3 mRNA by RT-PCR and for determining the immunoactivity of TSLP by immunofluorescence method. In addition, HE staining was used to examine the pathologic changes of the lung tissue.
Results: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of GATA-3 mRNA and TSLP protein of the lung tissue in the model group were significantly increased (P < 0.01), whereas that of T-bet mRNA was remarkably decreased (P < 0.05). Following needle prick stimulation treatment, the expression levels of GATA-3 mRNA and TSLP protein were markedly down-regulated (P < 0.01) and that of T-bet mRNA was obviously upregulated (P < 0.05). After the treatment, pathological changes including hyperemia of the pulmonary alveoli, epithelial thickening, narrowing of the lumina, and infiltration of many inflammatory cells around the tracheal blood vessels were improved.
Conclusion: Needle pricking therapy can regulate the expression of pulmonary TSLP protein and GATA 3 and T-bet genes in mice with asthma, which may contribute to its effect in improving pulmonary pathological changes of asthma mice.