Moxibustion-mediated Aa Rat T-cell Apoptosis Mechanism

Objective To study Apoptosis of T cell and its mechanism on rheumatoid arthritis(RA) treated with moxibustion. Methods Taking the adjuvant arthritis(AA) rats as RA animal model treated with moxibustion on "zusanli" and "shenshu" acu-points,we observe the changes of joints swelling and histo-pathology in secondary inflanimation. Using various means including flow cytometry, immunohistochemstry and hybridization in situ etc., we detect the effects of moxibustion on LTT, T cell subgroups and interleukin-2(IL-2) in peripheral blood, Fas/FasL in thymocyte, the expressions of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B(NF-kB), Caspase-3 and TNF- a mRNA in synovial tissues of lesion joints. Results Moxibustion can inhibit secondary joints swelling evidently; it can also lighten the synovial inflammation and hyperplasia of lesion joints distinctly. Moxibustion can raise lower LTT of spleen of AA rats to even normal, enhence expressions of Fas/FasL in thymocyte, adjust the disorder of Th/Ts and Thl/Th2 cell balance and raise IL-2 in peripheral blood. Moxibustion can depress abnormal hyper-expression of TNF-a mRNA and NF-kB and raise the expression of Caspase-3 in synovial tissues. Conclusions Moxibustion has inhibitory effects on symptoms and the condition of experimental RA; Moxibustion can improve T lymhocytes apoptosis by increasing IL-2 quantity and Fas/FasL expressions. That moxibustion makes adjustment to cytokines expressions of TNF-a mRNA, NF-kB and Caspase-3 to improve apoptosis might be one of the the foundation of lighting the synovial inflammation and hyperplasia of lesion joints.