[Effect of moxibustion intervention on expression of gastric epidermal growth factor receptor and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 expression in rats with gastric ulcer].

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2(p-ERK1/2) protein expression in gastric ulcer (GU) rats so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improving GU.
Methods: Fifty SD rats were randomly allocated to control,model, medication ("Sijunzi" Decoction), non-acupoint moxibustion (non-acup-moxi), and acup-moxi groups (n=10 in each group). The GU model was established by intragastric perfusion of absolute alcohol. Rats of the control group were treated by gavage of distilled water. Rats of the medication group were treated by administration of "Sijunzi" Decoction (8 mL x kg(-1) d(-1)),twice a day for 8 days. Moxibustion intervention was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36),"Zhongwan" (CV 12),and "Pishu" (BL 20), "Weishu" (BL 21) alternatively for 30 min, once daily for 8 days. The animals' ulcer index (UI) was assessed by Guth's method, and gastric mucosal pathological changes were observed under light microscope following H. E. staining. The expression of gastric EGFR was detected by immunohistochemistry and that of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) protein determined by Western blot.
Results: Compared with the control group, the UI, gastric EGFR and p-ERK1/2 protein expression levels were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.01, P<0.05); whereas in comparison with the model group, the UI was notably decreased in the medication, non-acup-moxi and acup-moxi groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), and EGFR and p-ERK1/2 protein expression levels were further up-regulated in the three treatment groups (P<0.01). The effects of both medication and acup-moxi groups were obviously superior to those of the non-acup-moxi group (P<0.01, P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the medication and acup-moxi groups in the expression levels of EGFR and p-ERK1/2 proteins (P>0.05). Results of H.E. staining showed that alcohol-induced gastric mucosal injury as breakage, exfoliation, inflammatory cell infiltration, etc. was milder in both medication and acup-moxi groups following the treatment.
Conclusion: Acupoint-moxibustion has a role in relieving alcohol induced gastric mucosal injury in the rat, which may be closely associated with its effects in up-regulating activities of the EGFR/ERK signal transduction pathway.