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Published on: December 8, 2023
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Pulmonary and Intestinal Injury in Septic Mice via Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome and
Xiao-Lei Zhang1,2,3, Hai-Ming Hu4,5, Qun-Feng Yao4
1Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China.
Objective:
Electroacupuncture (EA) has emerged as a clinically adopted complementary modality in the management of respiratory and digestive disorders. This investigation sought to elucidate the therapeutic potential of EA against sepsis-induced pulmonary and gastrointestinal injuries, with particular emphasis on delineating its multimodal mechanistical pathways.
Methods:
Sepsis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by administeringting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) one hour after EA intervention at the Zusanli (ST36) and Tianshu (ST25) acupoints for eight days. Inflammatory responses and barrier function were evaluated in the lung and colon tissues. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining was performed on lung tissues, while colon tissues were subjected to H&E staining, Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (WGA-FITC) staining, and Alcian Blue staining. Additionally, Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to explore potential molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to analyze changes in the gut microbiota.
Results:
EA ameliorated both pulmonary injury and intestinal damage in septic mice. This protective effect was mediated through significant attenuation of pulmonary and intestinal inflammation, coupled with partial restoration of gut microbiota homeostasis. Specifically, EA inhibited the activation of Nod-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, and upregulated the transcription of lung barrier-related factors (MMP2, MMP9, Occludin) in the lung. In addition, EA improved inflammation and reduced damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier in the colon. This was accomplished by decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) and increasing the levels of mucin and glycoproteins. Furthermore, EA intervention altered the structure of the gut microbiota, resulting in a significant increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae and Roseburia.
Conclusion:
EA is a potential adjunct therapy for sepsis-related pulmonary and intestinal injury. The mechanism involves the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome and remodeling of the gut microbiota.
