Zhang Cai-Rong, Deng Ji-Li, Zhu Wei-Na, Miao Ming-Xing, Shen Wei-Wei, Cao Sheng-Jun, Tang Yong
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210001, China.
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2018 Feb 25;43(2):75-9. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.170857.
To study the protective effect of moxibustion for tripterygium-induced premature ovarian failure (POF) and its underlying mechanisms in rats.
Forty-five female SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, POF model and moxibustion groups (＝15/group). The POF model was induced by intragastric administration of Triptolide (40 mg/kg), once daily for 6 weeks. From the 4 week after modeling, moxibustion was given at "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and bilateral "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 10 min, once daily for 3 weeks. Pathological changes of ovary tissues were determined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The serum estradiol (E), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β) contents were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of phosphatidyl inositol 3- kinase (PI 3 K), protein kinase B (Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) proteins of the ovarian tissue were detected by Western blot.
After modeling, HE staining showed that the numbers of ovarian follicles and follicular granulocytes and corpora luteum layers were decreased, and the number of corpora atretica was increased in the model group. The content of serum E was markedly decreased and those of serum LH, FSH, IL-6 and IL-1 β were markedly increased in the model group (<0.01), and the expression levels of ovarian p-PI 3 K, p-Akt and p-mTOR were markedly increased after modeling relevant to the control group (<0.01). Following moxibustion, the pathological damage of ovarian tissue was improved, the contents of serum LH, FSH, IL-6, IL-1 β, and the levels of p-PI 3 K, p-Akt and p-mTOR proteins in the ovarian tissue were significantly decreased (<0.05, <0.01), and the content of serum E was markedly increased (<0.05) in comparison with the model group.
Moxibustion can improve POF in POF rats, which may be related to its actions in inhibiting PI 3 K/Akt/mTOR signaling, down-regulating serum IL-6, IL-1 β, and regulating serum hormones.
研究艾灸对雷公藤多苷致大鼠卵巢早衰（POF）的保护作用及其潜在机制。
将45只雌性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组、POF模型组和艾灸组（每组15只）。采用雷公藤甲素灌胃（40 mg/kg）诱导建立POF模型，每日1次，连续6周。造模后第4周开始，对艾灸组大鼠“关元”（CV 4）及双侧“三阴交”（SP 6）进行艾灸，每次10分钟，每日1次，共3周。采用苏木精-伊红（HE）染色观察卵巢组织病理变化。采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）法检测血清雌二醇（E）、黄体生成素（LH）、卵泡刺激素（FSH）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）含量。采用蛋白质印迹法检测卵巢组织中磷脂酰肌醇3激酶（PI 3 K）、蛋白激酶B（Akt）和雷帕霉素靶蛋白（mTOR）蛋白的表达水平。
造模后，HE染色显示模型组卵巢卵泡、卵泡颗粒细胞及黄体层数减少，闭锁卵泡数增加。模型组血清E含量显著降低，血清LH、FSH、IL-6和IL-1β含量显著升高（P<0.01），与对照组相比，造模后卵巢p-PI 3 K、p-Akt和p-mTOR表达水平显著升高（P<0.01）。艾灸后，卵巢组织病理损伤改善，血清LH、FSH、IL-6、IL-1β含量及卵巢组织中p-PI 3 K、p-Akt和p-mTOR蛋白水平显著降低（P<0.05，P<0.01），血清E含量显著升高（P<0.05）。
艾灸可改善POF大鼠的卵巢早衰，其机制可能与抑制PI 3 K/Akt/mTOR信号通路、下调血清IL-6、IL-1β及调节血清激素有关。
