Moxibustion relieves visceral hyperalgesia via inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in rat bone marrow cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of moxibustion on visceral hyperalgesia (VH) and bone marrow cell transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in a rat model of VH.


METHODS
Mechanical colorectal distension was performed to induce VH in neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. Eight-week-old VH rats were treated with moxibustion at acupuncture point BL25 or an ipsilateral non-acupuncture point. Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scoring and pain threshold pressure assessment were performed before and after moxibustion treatment for 7 consecutive days. The expression of TRPV1 and HSP70 in bone marrow cells was quantified by real-time quantitative PCR.


RESULTS
The expression of TRPV1 and HSP70 in bone marrow cells was increased in rats with VH. Moxibustion at BL25 significantly decreased AWR scores and increased pain threshold pressure in rats with VH. Furthermore, moxibustion at BL25 significantly inhibited the VH-induced increase in the expression of TRPV1 and HSP70 in bone marrow cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The up-regulation of TRPV1 and HSP70 expression in bone marrow cells may be involved in visceral pain development and the analgesic effect of moxibustion on VH may be mediated through down-regulation of TRPV1 and HSP70 expression in bone marrow cells.
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Weiying
W
Zou
Nanchang Medical School, Nanchang, China.
Hua
H
Lin
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Wenwen
W
Liu
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Bei
B
Yang
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Lei
L
Wu
Clinical Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Limin
L
Duan
Clinical Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Ping
P
Ling
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Lingyan
L
Zhu
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Qun
Q
Dai
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Lintong
L
Zhao
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Ting
T
Zou
Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Dalei
D
Zhang
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009071:Moxibustion; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493922:Trpv1 protein, rat
MOXIBUSTION