title: The effect of herb-partition moxibustion on Toll-like receptor 4 in rabbit aorta during atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the mechanism of Toll-like receptor (TLR4) inhibition in the delay of formation of atherosclerosis by herb-partition moxibustion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five rabbits were randomly assigned to one of five groups: blank, atherosclerosis (AS) model, direct moxibustion, herb-partition moxibustion, and drug treatment. With the exception of the blank group, all rabbits were given a high-fat diet in addition to immunologic injury to create the AS model. The experiments were carried out for 16 weeks, at which time the aorta was removed from each rabbit. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the gray level of the aortic TLR4 to observe the immunologic competence of its antigens. Fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of TLR4 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the aorta.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gray-scale value of TLR4 and the TLR4 mRNA expression significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the direct moxibustion, herb-partition moxibustion, and drug treatment groups. Furthermore, the effects of the herb-partition moxibustion and drug treatment were superior to those of the direct moxibustion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herb-partition moxibustion inhibits aortic TLR4 activity and mRNA expression, showing that herb-partition moxibustion delays the formation of atherosclerosis through the inhibition of TLR4 expression.
authors.affiliation: College of Acu-Moxibustion and Tuina, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Zeng-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Xin-Qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jian-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Bao-Sheng
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Mi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Chao
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Shang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000941:Antigens; D001011:Aorta; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000379:methods*; D028321:Plant Preparations; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000941:Antigens; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D028321:Plant Preparations; D011758:Pyrroles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D000069059:Atorvastatin