Moxibustion Alleviates Intestinal Inflammation by Down-Regulating Piezo1 to Inhibit Ferroptosis in Colonic Tissues of...

This study investigated the effects of moxibustion on ferroptosis and oxidative stress in the colon tissue of Crohn's disease (CD) mice by regulating Piezo1 and explored its potential mechanism.

CD was induced using 1.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water. After the moxibustion intervention, the disease activity index (DAI) score and intestinal propulsion rate were assessed. Histopathological changes in colon tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining, and mitochondrial morphology in colon epithelial cells was observed via transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence was used to detect ROS, Piezo1, GPX4, and FTH expression in colon tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure inflammatory cytokine levels, while oxidative stress- and ferroptosis-related protein expression was analyzed by immunoblotting.

DSS-induced model group exhibited excessive intestinal motility, severe colonic tissue damage, elevated inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-17), upregulated Piezo1 expression, mitochondrial swelling, reduced mitochondrial cristae, decreased expression of ferroptosis-related proteins (SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1), and increased ACSL4 and LPCAT3 expression. Moxibustion significantly reduced the DAI score and intestinal propulsion rate, alleviated colonic tissue damage, lowered inflammatory cytokine levels, downregulated Piezo1 expression, restored mitochondrial morphology, reduced oxidative stress, and inhibited ferroptosis-related protein dysregulation.

Moxibustion alleviated oxidative stress and ferroptosis in the colon tissue of CD mice, thereby reducing intestinal inflammation. Its mechanism may involve the regulation of Piezo1, a mechanosensitive ion channel.