Mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion in regulation of epithelial cell apoptosis in rat ulcerative colitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on epithelial cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2, Bax, fas and FasL proteins in rat ulcerative colitis.


METHODS
A rat model of ulcerative colitis was established by immunological methods and local stimulation. All rats were randomly divided into model control group (MC), electro-acupuncture group (EA), herbs-partition moxibustion group (HPM). Normal rats were used as normal control group (NC). Epithelial cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2, Bax, fas and FasL proteins were detected by TUNEL and immunohistochemical method respectively.


RESULTS
The number of epithelial cell apoptosis in MC was significantly higher than that in NC, and was markedly decreased after the treatment with herbs-partition moxibustion or electro-acupuncture. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, fas and FasL in colonic epithelial cells in MC was higher than that in NC, and was markedly down- regulated by herbs-partition moxibustion or electro-acupuncture treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis in rats involves abnormality of apoptosis. Acupuncture and moxibustion can regulate the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, fas and FasL proteins and inhibit the apoptosis of epithelial cells of ulcerative colitis in rats by Bcl-2/Bax, fas/FasL pathways.
Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture--Moxibustion and Meridians, Shanghai 200030, China. wuhuangan@citiz.net
Huan-Gan
HG
Wu
Xiao
X
Gong
Li-Qing
LQ
Yao
Wei
W
Zhang
Yin
Y
Shi
Hui-Rong
HR
Liu
Ye-Jing
YJ
Gong
Li-Bin
LB
Zhou
Yi
Y
Zhu
D026881:Acupuncture; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009071:Moxibustion; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
C494828:Bax protein, rat; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor