Effect Of Acupuncture And Moxibustion On STAT3 And HIF-1alpha Protein In Colonic Tissues Of Mice With Ulcerative Colitis

Objective More and more recent studies suggest that Th17/Treg immune axis may play a crucial role in the making of UC.In early research,we found that acupuncture and moxibustion play a regulatory role on Th17,Treg,RO Rγt and FOXP3 in ulcerative colitis mice.However,the relationship between the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion and the balance of Th17/Treg in treating UC is not yet well understood.These effects of acupuncture and moxibustion are further supported by observation of the levels of STAT3 and HIF-1α protein in colon.Methods To investigate this important issues,an ulcerative colitis model of 32 male K un Ming mice are induced by 3% dextran sodium sulfate.Acupuncture and moxibustion used to treat the mice in this model.Immunohistochemistry and western blot methods were performed to detect the expression of STAT3 and HIF-1α in colon mucosa.Results The results indicate that both acupuncture and moxibustion of UC mice can improve the morphology of their distal colonic mucosal epithelia,as well as the disease activity index.Immunohistochemistry and Western blot showed that the expression of STAT3 and HIF-1α in colon mucosa of modle group was significantly higher than acupuncture group and moxibustion group(P< 0.05).Conclusions These findings suggest that both acupuncture and moxibustion may ameliorate the balance of Th17/Treg by the way of regulating STAT3 and HIF-1α.As to improving STAT3 and HIF-1αthe curative effects,it turns out that moxibustion is better than acupuncture.