Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion combined with acupoint catgut embedding on the content of interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the expressions of janus activated kinase (JAK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in colonic mucosa of rats with ulcerative colitis (UC), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of UC.
Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model, acupoint catgut embedding (ACE), moxibustion and acupoint catgut embedding combined with moxibustion (combination) groups (n=6 rats in each group). The UC model was established by enema of trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid and ethanol. Moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Tianshu" (ST25), "Dachangshu" (BL25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST37) for 10 min, once daily for 14 days, and ACE applied to the same 3 acupoints, once a week for two weeks. After the treatment, colonic mucosal pathological changes were observed by H.E. staining, the level of IL-6 in colonic mucosa was assayed by ELISA, and the expressions of JAK and STAT3 in colonic mucosa were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
Results: H.E. staining showed severe defect of the colonic mucosal epithelium with infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells in the model group, which was milder in moxibustion, ACE and combination groups. After modeling, the content of colonic IL-6, and the expression levels of JAK and STAT3 were obviously increased (P<0.01) in the model group relevant to the normal group. Following the intervention, the increase of IL-6 contents, and JAK and STAT3 expressions were reversed (P<0.05, P<0.01) in moxibustion, ACE and combination groups. The therapeutic effects of moxibustion combined with ACE were considerably superior to those of simple ACE and simple moxibustion in down-regulating the levels of JAK and STAT3 expression (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Acupoint catgut embedding combined with moxibustion can repair the injured colonic mucosa of UC rats, which may be related with its effect in suppressing the activation of IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.
目的：观察“天枢”“大肠俞”“上巨虚”穴位埋线联合艾灸对溃疡性结肠炎(UC)大鼠结肠组织白细胞介素-6(IL-6)含量及酪氨酸激酶(JAK)、信号转导及转录激活因子3(STAT3)表达的影响，探讨穴位埋线联合艾灸治疗UC的可能机制。方法：SD大鼠随机分为正常组、模型组、埋线组、艾灸组、联合组，每组6只。采用三硝基苯磺酸/乙醇灌肠法制备UC大鼠模型。穴位选取双侧“天枢”“大肠俞”“上巨虚”。埋线组予埋线治疗，1次/7 d，共2次。艾灸组予艾条温和灸治疗，10 min/次，1次/d，共14 d。联合组予艾条温和灸治疗，并于6 h后进行埋线治疗，方法、疗程同埋线组、艾灸组。HE染色法观察结肠组织形态变化，ELISA法检测结肠组织IL-6含量，免疫组织化学法和Western blot法检测结肠组织JAK和STAT3的表达。结果：正常组大鼠结肠黏膜结构完整，无炎性细胞浸润；模型组大鼠结肠上皮组织结构破损模糊，大量炎性细胞浸润；埋线组、艾灸组和联合组大鼠结肠上皮组织损伤均有不同程度改善，联合组改善最明显。与正常组比较，模型组结肠组织IL-6含量及JAK、STAT3蛋白表达均明显升高(P<0.01)。与模型组比较，埋线组、艾灸组、联合组结肠组织IL-6含量及JAK、STAT3蛋白表达均明显降低(P<0.05，P<0.01)。与埋线组和艾灸组比较，联合组结肠组织JAK、STAT3蛋白表达降低更明显(P<0.01)。结论：埋线联合艾灸干预能有效下调IL-6含量及JAK和STAT3的表达，抑制炎性信号通路IL-6/JAK/STAT3的活化，促进损伤结肠组织的修复。.
Keywords: Acupoint catgut embedding; IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway; Moxibustion; Ulcerative colitis.