Ma Ning, Li Xiaojing, Li Qiuhua, Yang Diqi, Zhuang Shen, Nan Sha, Liu Ai, Ding Mingxing, Ding Yi
College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China.
Acupunct Med. 2023 Aug;41(4):224-234. doi: 10.1177/09645284221107699. Epub 2022 Aug 11.
Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively relieve visceral hypersensitivity (VH). However, its mechanisms are still unclear.
To investigate the impact of EA on VH caused by ileitis, and whether EA relieves VH by modulating the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS).
Thirty male native goats were randomly divided into a saline-treated control group (Saline, n = 9) and three 2,4,6-trinitro-benzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-treated VH model groups that underwent injection of TNBS into the ileal wall to induce VH and remained untreated (TNBS, n = 9) or received six sessions of EA (for 30 min every 3 days) (TNBS + EA, n = 6) or sham acupuncture (TNBS + Sham, n = 6). The visceromotor response (VMR) to colorectal distention (CRD) was measured after each EA treatment. Three goats in the Saline/TNBS groups were euthanized after 7 days for histopathological examination; the remaining 24 (n = 6/group) underwent sampling of the ileal wall, T11 spinal cord and brain nuclei/areas related to visceral regulation and ascending pain modulation system on day 22. Expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) was detected by immunohistochemistry.
VMR to CRD was greater in TNBS-treated goats than in saline-treated goats (p < 0.01) from day 7 to 22. After day 7, EA-treated goats showed a decreased (p < 0.05) VMR compared with untreated TNBS-exposed goats. TNBS treatment decreased CB1R and increased FAAH and MAGL expression in the ileum and related nuclei/areas; this was reversed by EA.
EA ameliorates VH, probably by regulating the ECS in the intestine and nuclei/areas related to visceral regulation and descending pain modulation systems.
电针（EA）可有效缓解内脏高敏感性（VH）。然而，其机制仍不清楚。
研究电针对回肠炎所致VH的影响，以及电针是否通过调节内源性大麻素系统（ECS）来缓解VH。
30只雄性本地山羊随机分为生理盐水处理对照组（生理盐水组，n = 9）和三个经2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸（TNBS）处理的VH模型组，后者通过向回肠壁注射TNBS诱导VH，且不接受任何处理（TNBS组，n = 9）或接受6次电针治疗（每3天治疗30分钟）（TNBS + EA组，n = 6）或假针刺治疗（TNBS +假针刺组，n = 6）。每次电针治疗后测量对结直肠扩张（CRD）的内脏运动反应（VMR）。生理盐水/TNBS组中的3只山羊在7天后实施安乐死以进行组织病理学检查；其余24只（每组n = 6）在第22天对回肠壁、T11脊髓以及与内脏调节和上行性疼痛调制系统相关的脑核/脑区进行取样。通过免疫组织化学检测大麻素受体1（CB1R）、脂肪酸酰胺水解酶（FAAH）和单酰甘油脂肪酶（MAGL）的表达。
从第7天至第22天，经TNBS处理的山羊对CRD的VMR高于经生理盐水处理的山羊（p < 0.01）。第7天后，与未接受治疗的TNBS暴露山羊相比，接受电针治疗的山羊VMR降低（p < 0.05）。TNBS处理降低了回肠及相关核团/脑区的CB1R表达，并增加了FAAH和MAGL的表达；电针治疗使其逆转。
电针可能通过调节肠道以及与内脏调节和下行性疼痛调制系统相关的核团/脑区中的ECS来改善VH。
