Zhang Le-le, Yuan Ai-Hong, Yang Jun, Zha Bi-Xiang, Gu Guang, Fan Yin-Qiu, Yang Yu-Song, Kan Wen-Jing
Graduate School, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230038, China.
The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2023 Feb 25;48(2):180-4. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20220233.
To investigate the effect of moxibustion on the proteins related with apoptosis and nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-κB) in hippocampus of diabetic rats with cognitive impairment (CI), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of learning-memory ability.
Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model and moxibustion groups (=10 rats/group). The diabetic model was established by i.p. injection of streptozotocin solution (25 mg·kg·d), followed by high-fat diet raising for 4 weeks, and the CI model was confirmed by Morris water maze test. The rats in the moxibustion group were given moxibustion at "Shenting" (GV24), "Baihui" (GV20) and "Dazhui" (GV14) for 20 min each time, the treatment was conducted 6 times a week for 4 weeks. The learning-memory ability was detected by Morris water maze test, the random blood glucose of rats was measured by glucometer and test strips. The protein and mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and NF-κB p65 in hippocampus were detected by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR, separately.
After modeling, the random blood glucose, escape latency, and the expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and NF-κB p65 proteins and mRNAs in the model group were significantly increased, while the expression levels of Bcl-2 protein and mRNA were decreased (<0.001，<0.01, <0.05) in comparison with the normal group. Following the treatment, the modeling induced increase of blood glucose, escape latency, and the expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and NF-κB p65 proteins and mRNAs, as well as decrease of Bcl-2 protein and mRNA expression levels were reversed (<0.05, <0.01, <0.001).
Moxibustion can improve learning-memory ability in diabetic rats with cognitive impairment, which may be related to its function in regulating the expression levels of hippocampal Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and NF-κB.
探讨艾灸对糖尿病认知功能障碍（CI）大鼠海马中与细胞凋亡相关蛋白及核转录因子κB（NF-κB）的影响，以探究其改善学习记忆能力的作用机制。
将30只SD大鼠随机分为正常组、模型组和艾灸组（每组10只）。腹腔注射链脲佐菌素溶液（25 mg·kg·d）建立糖尿病模型，随后高脂饲养4周，通过Morris水迷宫试验确认CI模型。艾灸组大鼠于“神庭”（GV24）、“百会”（GV20）和“大椎”（GV14）进行艾灸，每次20分钟，每周治疗6次，共4周。采用Morris水迷宫试验检测学习记忆能力，用血糖仪和试纸条测量大鼠随机血糖。分别通过蛋白质免疫印迹法和实时定量PCR检测海马中Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase-3和NF-κB p65的蛋白和mRNA表达水平。
建模后，模型组大鼠随机血糖、逃避潜伏期以及Bax、Caspase-3和NF-κB p65蛋白及mRNA表达水平显著升高；与正常组相比，Bcl-2蛋白及mRNA表达水平降低（<0.001，<0.01，<0.05）。治疗后，建模引起的血糖升高、逃避潜伏期延长以及Bax、Caspase-3和NF-κB p65蛋白及mRNA表达水平升高，以及Bcl-2蛋白及mRNA表达水平降低的情况均得到逆转（<0.05，<0.01，<0.001）。
艾灸可改善糖尿病认知功能障碍大鼠的学习记忆能力，这可能与其调节海马Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase-3和NF-κB表达水平的作用有关。
