| Objective:To observe the effect of moxibustion and moxa smoke on atherosclerosis and to explain their effect mechanism on lipid metablosim and inflammation.Methods:Sixty-eight ApoE-/-mice (8weeks old) were randomly divided into3groups (17in each group):model control group, moxa smoke group, moxibustion group, twenty same age C57BL/6mice were used as blank controls. Mice in the blank control and model control group were handled everyday. Mice in the moxa smoke group were exposed to moxa smoke with a concentration of10-15mg/m3while mice in the moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion on GuanYuan (RN4) point. All the manipulations were did20min each day,6days each week,12weeks totally.Blood biochemistry method was used to test the level of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, ox-LDL, ApoA-Ⅰ in the serum. Elisa method was used to test the level of TNFa, IL-1, BL-6, IL-10, hs-CRP, vWF, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1in the serum. HE and Red oil "O" stain were used to observe the plague area in the aorta root and thoracic aorta. Western blot method was used to detect the ABCA1, ABCG1, LXRa, CD36, PPARy, NFKB expression in the thoracic aorta. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the ABCA1, LXRa, CD36, PPARy expression in the liver.Results:1. Blood lipid levelComparing to the normal control group, mice in the model control group had significant higher level of TG, LDL, VLDL (p=0.003,0.001,0.004), and significant lower level of ApoA-Ⅰ, HDL (p=0.001,0.007) in the serum; no significant differences were found between the two groups on the level of TC and ox-LDL; comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxibustion group had significant lower TG and LDL (p=0.03,0.001), significant higher ApoA-1(p=0.001), while no significant differences were found between the two groups on VLDL and HDL (p=0.11,0.11); comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxa smoke group had significant lower TG and LDL (p=0.01,0.008), significant higher ApoA-Ⅰ (p=0.01), no significant difference were found on VLDL, HDL (p=0.24,0.11); no significant differences were found between the moxibustion group and the moxa smoke group (p>0.05) 2. Inflammatory cytokines and NFKBComparing to the normal control group, mice in the model control group had significant higher level of IL-1, IL-6, TNFa, hs-CRP, vWF, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1(p<0.001), significant lower level of IL-10(p<0.001) in the serum; comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxibustion group had significant lower IL-1, IL-6, TNFa, hs-CRP, vWF, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1(p=0.005,0.001,0.001,0.01,0.001,0.001,0.001,0.002), significant higher level of IL-10(p<0.001); comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxa smoke group had significant lower IL-1, IL-6, TNFa, hs-CRP, vWF, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1(p=0.003,0.003,0.001,0.01,0.02,0.03,0.001,0.005), significant higher level of IL-10(p=0.01); no significant differences were found between the moxibustion group and the moxa smoke group (p>0.05).There were no significant differences among all groups on NFKB expression in the aorta.3. Plaque area ratio in the aortaThe plague area ratio in the aorta root were:15.76%in the model control group,8.55%in the moxa smoke group,7.34%in the moxibustion group. The plague area ratio in the thoracic aorta were:9.05%in the model control group,4.37%in the moxa smoke group,2.47%in the moxibustion group.Comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxibustion group had significant lower plague area ratio both in the aorta root and the thoracic aorta (p=0.04,0.01); the difference between the moxa smoke group and model control group in the plague area ratio was not significant(p=0.08,0.08); No significant differences were found between the moxibustion group and the moxa smoke group (p>0.05)4. Expression of CD36, ABCA1, ABCG1, LXRa, PPARy in the aortaComparing to the normal control group, mice in the model control group had significant lower ABCA1、ABCG1. LXRa expression(p<0.001,0.04,0.004), no significant different CD36、PPARy expression in the thoracic aorta(p>0.05); comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxibustion group had significant higher ABCA1、LXRa expression (p=0.05,0.03), no significant different ABCG1experssion(p=0.14), comparing to the model control group, mice in the moxa smoke group had significant higher ABCA1, LXRa expression (p<0.01,0.02), no significant different ABCG1experssion(p=0.14); no significant differences were found in the ABCA1, ABCG1, LXRa expression between the moxibustion group and the moxa smoke group (p>0.05).5. Expression of CD36, ABCA1, LXRa, PPARy in the liverComparing to the normal control group, mice in the model control group had significant lower ABCA1, PPARγ expression(P<0.001,<0.001), significant higher CD36, LXRa expression (p=0.004,0.002); ABCA1, PPARy expression were significant higher (p=0.03,0.03) while the LXRa expression was significant lower (p=0.03) in the moxibusiton group than in the model conrol group, the CD36expression showed no significant difference between the two groups(p=0.09); ABCA1, PPARy expression were significant higher (p=0.002,0.01) while the CD36, LXRa expression was significant lower (p=0.02,0.02) in the moxibusiton group than in the model conrol group; no significant differences were found in the ABCA1, CD36, LXRa, PPARy expression between the moxibustion group and moxa smoke group (p>0.05).Conclusions:1. Moxibustion could alleviate atherosclerosis, inhibit the growth of plague, and moxa somke also have this tendency.2. Moxibustion and moxa smoke could regulate lipid metabolism and promote the cholesterol efflux at the lesion area and improve the metabolic function of liver, which may be one of the mechanisms of their anti-atherosclerosis effect.3. Moxibustion and moxa smoke could inhibite inflammation in the body, which may be one of the mechanisms of their anti-atherosclerosis effect. |
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