title: Moxibustion Activates Macrophage Autophagy and Protects Experimental Mice against Bacterial Infection.
abstract: Moxibustion is one of main therapies in traditional Chinese medicine and uses heat stimulation on the body surface from the burning of moxa to release pain or treat diseases. Emerging studies have shown that moxibustion can generate therapeutic effects by activating a series of signaling pathways and neuroendocrine-immune activities. Here we show moxibustion promoted profound macrophage autophagy in experimental Kunming mice, with reduced Akt phosphorylation and activated eIF2α phosphorylation. Consequently, moxibustion promoted bacterial clearance by macrophages and protected mice from mortality due to bacterial infection. These results indicate that moxibustion generates a protective response by activating autophagy against bacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China ; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China ; Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030024, China.
authors.forename: Guanhua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China.
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China ; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China.
authors.forename: Fengxia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China ; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China.
authors.forename: Guojie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun