Liu Shuangmei, Shi Qingming, Zhu Qicheng, Zou Ting, Li Guilin, Huang An, Wu Bing, Peng Lichao, Song Miaomiao, Wu Qin, Xie Qiuyu, Lin Weijian, Xie Wei, Wen Shiyao, Zhang Zhedong, Lv Qiulan, Zou Lifang, Zhang Xi, Ying Mofeng, Li Guodong, Liang Shangdong
Department of Physiology, Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People's Republic of China.
Purinergic Signal. 2015 Jun;11(2):161-9. doi: 10.1007/s11302-014-9439-y. Epub 2014 Dec 20.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease often display visceral hypersensitivity. Visceral nociceptors after inflammatory stimulation generate afferent nerve impulses through dorsal root ganglia (DRG) transmitting to the central nervous system. ATP and its activated-purinergic 2X7 (P2X7) receptor play an important role in the transmission of nociceptive signal. Purinergic signaling is involved in the sensory transmission of visceral pain. Moxibustion is a therapy applying ignited mugwort directly or indirectly at acupuncture points or other specific parts of the body to treat diseases. Heat-sensitive acupoints are the corresponding points extremely sensitive to moxa heat in disease conditions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the analgesic effect of moxibustion on a heat-sensitive acupoint "Dachangshu" and the expression levels of P2X7 receptor in rat DRG after chronic inflammatory stimulation of colorectal distension. Heat-sensitive moxibustion at Dachangshu acupoint inhibited the nociceptive signal transmission by decreasing the upregulated expression levels of P2X7 mRNA and protein in DRG induced by visceral pain, and reversed the abnormal expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, a marker of satellite glial cells) in DRG. Consequently, abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) score in a visceral pain model was reduced, and the pain threshold was elevated. Therefore, heat-sensitive moxibustion at Dachangshu acupoint can produce a therapeutic effect on IBS via inhibiting the nociceptive transmission mediated by upregulated P2X7 receptor.
肠易激综合征（IBS）和炎症性肠病常表现出内脏高敏感性。炎症刺激后的内脏伤害感受器通过背根神经节（DRG）产生传入神经冲动，并传递至中枢神经系统。三磷酸腺苷（ATP）及其激活的嘌呤能P2X7受体在伤害性信号的传递中起重要作用。嘌呤能信号传导参与内脏痛觉的感觉传递。艾灸是一种将点燃的艾草直接或间接施于穴位或身体其他特定部位以治疗疾病的疗法。热敏穴位是在疾病状态下对艾热极为敏感的相应穴位。在本研究中，我们旨在探讨艾灸热敏穴位“大肠俞”的镇痛作用与大鼠DRG中P2X7受体在结直肠扩张慢性炎症刺激后的表达水平之间的关系。大肠俞穴位的热敏艾灸通过降低内脏痛诱导的DRG中P2X7 mRNA和蛋白的上调表达水平来抑制伤害性信号传递，并逆转DRG中胶质纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP，卫星胶质细胞标志物）的异常表达。因此，内脏痛模型中的腹部退缩反射（AWR）评分降低，痛阈升高。所以，大肠俞穴位的热敏艾灸可通过抑制上调的P2X7受体介导的伤害性传递对IBS产生治疗作用。
