Zhao Ji-Yu, Yan Jing, Wang Hong-Yang, Liu Qing-Qing, Zhang Tian-Sheng, Hao Chong-Yao
Shanxi University of TCM, Jinzhong 030619, China.
Shanxi Acupuncture-Moxibustion Hospital, Taiyuan 030006.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2022 May 12;42(5):525-32. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20211115-k0004.
To observe the effect of wheat-grain moxibustion on behavior, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and cortisol in the serum, mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the hippocampus in rats with hypothyroidism complicated with depression, and to explore the possible mechanism of wheat-grain moxibustion on improving depression in rats with hypothyroidism.
A total of 32 SPF SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a medication group and a wheat-grain moxibustion group, 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the rats in the remaining groups were treated with intragastric administration of 0.1% propylthiouracil (PTU) suspension at 1 mL/100 g, once a day for 4 weeks to establish the rat model of hypothyroidism, and whether the rats were accompanied with depression-like behavior determined through behavioristics evaluation. The rats in the medication group were intervened with euthyrox at 0.9 mL/100 g, once a day, for 4 weeks; the rats in the wheat-grain moxibustion group were treated with wheat-grain moxibustion at "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Mingmen" (GV 4), "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Pishu" (BL 20), 7 cones each acupoint, once a day, six times a week for 4 weeks. After the intervention, the depression status was observed by behavioristics test; the contents of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total thyroxine (TT4), 5-HT and cortisol in the serum were detected by ELISA; the protein expressions of MR and GR in hippocampus were detected by Western blot; the expressions of MR mRNA and GR mRNA in the hippocampus were detected by real-time PCR.
Before the intervention, compared with the blank group, the scores of open field test (OFT) were decreased and the immobility time of tail suspension test (TST) was prolonged (<0.05); the serum TSH contents were increased and TT4 contents were decreased (<0.01) in the other three groups. After the intervention, compared with the model group, the vertical score of OFT was increased and the immobility time of forced swimming test (FST) was prolonged in the medication group (<0.05), while the scores of three items of OFT were increased (<0.05, <0.01), and the immobility time of FST and TST was shortened in the wheat-grain moxibustion group (<0.01, <0.05). Compared with the medication group, the immobility time of TST and FST in the wheat-grain moxibustion group was shorter (<0.05, <0.01). Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the contents of serum TSH and cortisol were increased (<0.01, <0.001), while the contents of serum TT4 and 5-HT were decreased (<0.01, <0.001). Compared with the model group, the contents of serum TT4 and 5-HT were increased, while the contents of serum TSH and cortisol were decreased in the medication group and wheat-grain moxibustion group (<0.01, <0.05). Compared with the blank group, the protein and mRNA expression of MR, GR in the hippocampus in the model group was decreased (<0.01, <0.05, <0.001); compared with the model group, the protein and mRNA expression of MR in the hippocampus in the medication group were increased (<0.05), and the protein expression of MR, GR and mRNA expression of MR in the hippocampus in the wheat-grain moxibustion group were increased (<0.05, <0.01). Compared with the medication group, the expression of MR mRNA in the wheat-grain moxibustion group was increased (<0.05).
Wheat-grain moxibustion could significantly improve thyroid function and depression in rats with hypothyroidism. Its mechanism may be related to up-regulating the protein and mRNA expression of MR and GR in the hippocampus, and then affecting the expression of serum cortisol and 5-HT.
观察麦粒灸对甲状腺功能减退合并抑郁症大鼠行为、血清5-羟色胺（5-HT）及皮质醇、海马盐皮质激素受体（MR）及糖皮质激素受体（GR）的影响，探讨麦粒灸改善甲状腺功能减退大鼠抑郁状态的可能机制。
将32只SPF级SD大鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、药物组和麦粒灸组，每组8只。除空白组外，其余各组大鼠采用灌胃给予0.1%丙基硫氧嘧啶（PTU）混悬液1 mL/100 g，每日1次，连续4周，建立甲状腺功能减退大鼠模型，并通过行为学评价判断大鼠是否伴有抑郁样行为。药物组大鼠采用左旋甲状腺素0.9 mL/100 g灌胃干预，每日1次，连续4周；麦粒灸组大鼠于“大椎”（GV 14）、“命门”（GV 4）、“肾俞”（BL 23）、“脾俞”（BL 20）穴行麦粒灸，每穴7壮，每日1次，每周6次，连续4周。干预后，通过行为学测试观察抑郁状态；采用ELISA法检测血清促甲状腺激素（TSH）、总甲状腺素（TT4）、5-HT及皮质醇含量；采用Western blot法检测海马MR及GR蛋白表达；采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测海马MR mRNA及GR mRNA表达。
干预前，与空白组比较，其他三组旷场试验（OFT）得分降低，悬尾试验（TST）不动时间延长（P<0.05）；血清TSH含量升高，TT4含量降低（P<0.01）。干预后，与模型组比较，药物组OFT垂直得分升高，强迫游泳试验（FST）不动时间延长（P<0.05），而麦粒灸组OFT三项得分均升高（P<0.05，P<0.01）；FST及TST不动时间缩短（P<0.01，P<0.05）。与药物组比较，麦粒灸组TST及FST不动时间缩短（P<0.05，P<0.01）。与空白组比较，模型组血清TSH及皮质醇含量升高（P<0.01，P<0.001），血清TT4及5-HT含量降低（P<0.01，P<0.001）。与模型组比较，药物组和麦粒灸组血清TT4及5-HT含量升高，血清TSH及皮质醇含量降低（P<0.01，P<0.05）。与空白组比较，模型组海马MR、GR蛋白及mRNA表达降低（P<0.01，P<0.05，P<0.001）；与模型组比较，药物组海马MR蛋白及mRNA表达升高（P<0.05），麦粒灸组海马MR、GR蛋白表达及MR mRNA表达升高（P<0.05,P<0.01）。与药物组比较，麦粒灸组MR mRNA表达升高（P<0.05）。
麦粒灸可显著改善甲状腺功能减退大鼠的甲状腺功能及抑郁状态。其机制可能与上调海马MR及GR蛋白和mRNA表达，进而影响血清皮质醇及5-HT表达有关。
