电针丰隆穴对高脂血症的疗效及对巨噬细胞ABCA1/JAK2/STAT3信号通路的影响

Effects of electro-acupuncture at Fenglong point(ST40)on treatment of hyperlipidemia and ABCA1/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in macro⁃phages

目的:探究电针丰隆穴(ST40)对高脂血症患者的降脂疗效及对巨噬细胞ATP结合盒转运体A1(ABCA1)/Janus激酶2(JAK2)/信号转导和转录激活因子3(STAT3)信号通路的影响。方法:将105例临床辨证为痰浊阻遏证的高脂血症患者随机分为电针组、药物组与对照组,其中电针组予以电针针刺丰隆穴治疗(n=35);药物组予以口服血脂康治疗(n=35);对照组不予以特殊处理(n=35)。观察治疗前及治疗后3个月和6个月3组患者血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)的水平变化;取各组患者血清与人THP-1细胞源性巨噬细胞共培养,采用RT-qPCR及Western blot检测各组巨噬细胞ABCA1、JAK2和STAT3的mRNA和蛋白表达。结果:治疗结束后,电针组总有效率为85.7%,药物组总有效率为88.6%,两者改善血脂的总有效率无显著差异(P>0.05);电针组与药物组的TC、TG和LDL-C下降水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗后3个月和6个月,药物组TC、TG和LDL-C水平较治疗后升高(P<0.05),而电针组仍较稳定(P>0.05)。治疗后电针组与药物组巨噬细胞ABCA1、JAK2和STAT3的mRNA及蛋白表达较对照组均显著升高(P<0.05);电针组与药物组比较,两者变化无显著差异(P>0.05)。结论:电针丰隆穴可降低高脂血症患者TC、TG和LDL-C水平,且疗效较药物治疗稳定,可上调巨噬细胞ABCA1、JAK2和STAT3的mRNA和蛋白表达,促进胆固醇逆转运,抑制炎症反应。

AIM:To observe the clinical effect of electro-acupuncture at Fenglong point(ST40)on the treat⁃ment of hyperlipidemia,and the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1)/Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in macrophages.METHODS:The patients suffer from hyper⁃lipidemia(n=105)were randomly divided into electro-acupuncture group,Xuezhikang group and control group.The pa⁃tients in electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture at ST40(n=35),the patients in Xuezhikang group took orally Xuezhikang capsules(n=35),and the patients in control group were not given any special treatment(n=35).The levels of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)and low-densi⁃ty lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were detected before and at the 3rd and 6th months after treatment.The serum of each group was co-cultured with human THP-1 cell-derived macrophages.RT-qPCR and Western blot were performed to detect the signaling molecules ABCA1,JAK2 and STAT3 in the macrophages at mRNA and protein levels.RESULTS:After treatment,the total effective rate of electro-acupuncture group was 85.7%,and that of Xuezhikang group was 88.6%.No significant difference in the total effective rate of improving blood lipid between the 2 groups was observed(P>0.05).There was also no significant difference of the decrease in TC,TG and LDL-C between electro-acupuncture group and Xue⁃zhikang group(P>0.05).Compared to the end of the treatment,the levels of TC,TG and LDL-C in Xuezhikang group were increased significantly at 3rd and 6th months after the treatment(P<0.05),while no significant change in electroacupuncture group was found before and after treatment(P>0.05).The mRNA and protein levels of ABCA1,JAK2 and STAT3 in the macrophages in electro-acupuncture group and Xuezhikang group were significantly higher than those in con⁃trol group(P<0.05),and no significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and Xuezhikang group was detected(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:Electro-acupuncture at ST40 reduces the levels of TC,TG and LDL-C,and the curative ef⁃fect is more stable than Xuezhikang.This treatment also increases the expression of ABCA1,JAK2 and STAT3 at mRNA and protein levels in the macrophages,which promotes the reversal of cholesterol transport,and inhibits the inflammatory response.