Regulatory effects of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on the expressions of IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs in the colon of rats with Crohn’s disease

To observe the regulatory effects of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on Crohn's disease (CD) rat’s colon inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-23 and their mRNAs, and to investigate the action mechanism of moxibustion in treating CD. Forty SPF grade Sprague-Dauley (SD) male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group and a Western medicine group, with 10 rats in each group. Except the normal group, rats in the other three groups were used to make CD model by giving an enema in colon with Trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS). When the models were successful made, rats in the model group had no therapeutic intervention; rats in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group were subjected to herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion treatment at bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) plus Qihai (CV 6); and rats in the Western medicine group were given oral Mesalazine. After treatment, the histopathological changes and inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were observed in descending colon by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods. Colon tissues of TNBS enema rat models showed cracks-like ulcers accompanied by mucous layer inflammation, granulomas, and inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were all higher than those in the normal group (P<0.01); after intervention, colon tissue cracks-like ulcers and inflammation degree reduced, inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were all significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group and the Western medicine group. Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion may improve colon tissue ulcers and relieve intestinal inflammation by down-regulation of IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions in CD model rats’ colonic mucosa. 观察隔药灸对克罗恩病(Crohn's Disease, CD)大鼠结肠炎症因子白介素-17 (interleukin-17, IL-17)、白介素-23 (interleukin-23, IL-23)及其mRNA 的调节作用, 探讨灸法治疗CD 的效应机制。 将40 只SPF 级SD 雄性大鼠随机分为正常组、模型组、隔药灸组和西药组, 每组10 只。除正常组以外, 其余3 组大鼠采用三硝基苯磺酸溶液灌肠制备CD 模型, 模型制备成功后, 模型组不进行任何治疗干预, 隔药灸组取双侧天枢、气海穴进行隔药饼灸治疗,西药组予以美沙拉嗪灌胃治疗。治疗结束后, 采用苏木素-伊红(hematoxylin-eosin, HE)病理染色, 免疫组织化学(immunohistochemistry, IHC)和实时聚合酶链反应(real-time polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR)方法观察各组大鼠结肠降部组织病理学变化及炎症因子IL-17、IL-23 及其mRNA 的表达情况。 TNBS 灌肠模型大鼠结肠组织出现裂隙状溃疡伴随黏膜层炎症、肉芽肿, 炎症因子IL-17、IL-23及其mRNA的表达均高于正常组(P<0.01); 隔药灸组、西药组大鼠经干预后, 结肠组织裂隙状溃疡及炎症程度减轻, 炎症因子IL-17、IL-23 及其mRNA 表达均显著降低(P<0.01)。 隔药灸可能通过下调CD 模型大鼠结肠黏膜IL-17、IL-23 及其mRNA 的表达来发挥改善结肠组织溃疡, 缓解肠道炎症的治疗作用。