Effects of electroacupuncture on the C3a/C3aR pathway-related proteins in mice with chronic ulcerative colitis
Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on complement 3a(C3a)/complement 3a receptor(C3aR)pathway-related proteins in a mouse model of chronic ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods A total of 48 BALB/c mice were divided into a blank group(n=12)and a modeling group(n=36)by a random number table method.With a regimen of 3％dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)administered through free water drinking(seven days of induction+five days of remission)as one cycle,the modeling group underwent a total of four cycles to establish a chronic UC model,and was then randomly subdivided into model,electroacupuntcture,and sulfasalazine(SASP)groups after successful modeling,with 12 mice in each group.The blank group was not treated;the model group was only bundled;the electroacupuntcture group was treated with electroacupuntcture at Guanyuan(CV 4),Tianshu(ST 25),Zusanli(ST 36),and Shangjuxu(ST 37)for 20 minutes daily;the SASP group was given SASP suspension[500 mg/(kg·d)]by gavage daily.All intervention lasted for 14 consecutive days.The disease activity index(DAI),body weight,colon length,and colon index of each group of mice were recorded;the changes in colonic mucosal damage index(CMDI)were observed through HE staining;the expression of C3aR protein in colon tissues was examined through Western blot;the protein levels of Caspase-1 and gasdermin D(GSDMD)were checked through immunohistochemistry;the expressions of C3a protein in colon tissues and the inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in serum were determined through ELISA.Results Compared with the blank group,mice in the model group showed significant decreases in body weight and colon length,along with significant increases in DAI score,colon index,and CMDI score(P＜0.01);the expression levels of C3a and C3aR proteins in colon tissues increased(P＜0.05);the expression levels of Caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins increased significantly(P＜0.01);the serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α increased significantly(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,mice in both electroacupuncture and SASP groups showed an increase in body weight,along with decreases in the DAI and CMDI scores(P＜0.05);colon length was partially restored and the colon index score was significantly reduced in these groups(P＜0.01);the expression of C3aR protein in colon tissues decreased significantly(P＜0.01),and the expression of C3a protein decreased(P＜0.05);the expression levels of Caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins decreased(P＜0.05);the serum content of IL-1 β and TNF-α decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can alleviate pyroptosis and chronic inflammation in colon tissues of UC model mice,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the expressions of C3a/C3aR pathway-related proteins.
万方数据
维普
