Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Biomed Res Int. 2022 Mar 2;2022:1764104. doi: 10.1155/2022/1764104. eCollection 2022.
Allergic asthma is associated with T helper (Th) 2 cell-biased immune responses and characterized by the airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Studies have shown that the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy (ACE) has a therapeutic effect on allergic asthma. However, the relevant mechanism is poorly understood. In present study, female BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to establish a model of allergic asthma. AHR was evaluated by using airway resistance ( ) and lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn). Airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion were observed by HE and PAS staining. Inflammatory cells were counted, and related cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pulmonary group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2s) proportions were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of nuclear factor B (NF-B) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was detected by immunostaining. Our results showed that OVA induction resulted in a significant increase in , accompanied by a significant decrease in Cdyn. The levels of interleukin- (IL-) 4, IL-13, OVA-specific IgE in BALF, and the percentage of ILC2 in the lungs were markedly increased accompanied by a significant decreased in interferon- (IFN-). Furthermore, the expressions of p-NF-B p65 and COX-2 in airways were significantly upregulated. After ACE treatment, the indicators above were significantly reversed. In conclusion, ACE treatment inhibited the secretion of Th2 cytokines and the proliferation of ILC2s in the lungs, thereby dampening the inflammatory activity in allergic asthma. The underlying mechanism might be related to the inhibition of NF-B/COX-2 pathway.
变应性哮喘与辅助性 T 细胞（Th）2 细胞偏向的免疫反应有关，其特征为气道高反应性（AHR）。研究表明，穴位埋线疗法（ACE）对变应性哮喘具有治疗作用。然而，相关机制尚不清楚。在本研究中，雌性 BALB/c 小鼠用卵清蛋白（OVA）致敏和激发，建立变应性哮喘模型。通过气道阻力（ ）和肺动态顺应性（Cdyn）评估 AHR。通过 HE 和 PAS 染色观察气道炎症和黏液高分泌。计数炎性细胞，并通过酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中的相关细胞因子。通过流式细胞术分析肺 2 型固有淋巴细胞（ILC2）的比例。通过免疫染色检测核因子 B（NF-B）和环氧化酶-2（COX-2）的表达。我们的结果表明，OVA 诱导导致 显著增加，同时 Cdyn 显著降低。BALF 中白细胞介素-（IL-）4、IL-13、OVA 特异性 IgE 的水平以及肺部 ILC2 的百分比明显增加，同时干扰素-（IFN-）显著减少。此外，气道中 p-NF-B p65 和 COX-2 的表达明显上调。ACE 治疗后，上述指标均明显逆转。总之，ACE 治疗抑制了 Th2 细胞因子在肺部的分泌和 ILC2 的增殖，从而抑制了变应性哮喘中的炎症活性。其潜在机制可能与 NF-B/COX-2 通路的抑制有关。
