Effect of electroacupuncture on glial fibrillary acidic protein and nerve growth factor in the hippocampus of rats with hyperlipidemia and middle cerebral artery thrombus

Electroacupuncture(EA)has been shown to reduce blood lipid level and improve cerebral ischemia in rats with hyperlipemia complicated by cerebral ischemia.However,there are few studies on the results and mechanism of the effect of EA in reducing blood lipid level or promoting neural repair after stroke in hyperlipidemic subjects.In this study,EA was applied to a rat model of hyperlipidemia and middle cerebral artery thrombosis and the condition of neurons and astrocytes after hippocampal injury was assessed.Except for the normal group,rats in other groups were fed a high-fat diet throughout the whole experiment.Hyperlipidemia models were established in rats fed a high-fat diet for 6 weeks.Middle cerebral artery thrombus models were induced by pasting 50%FeCl3 filter paper on the left middle cerebral artery for 20 minutes on day 50 as the model group.EA1 group rats received EA at bilateral ST40(Fenglong)for 7 days before the thrombosis.Rats in the EA1 and EA2 groups received EA at GV20(Baihui)and bilateral ST40 for 14 days after model establishment.Neuronal health was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining in the brain.Hyperlipidemia was assessed by biochemical methods that measured total cholesterol,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein in blood sera.Behavioral analysis was used to confirm the establishment of the model.Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and nerve growth factor in the hippocampal CA1 region.The results demonstrated that,compared with the model group,blood lipid levels significantly decreased,glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity was significantly weakened and nerve growth factor immunoreactivity was significantly enhanced in the EA1 and EA2 groups.The repair effect was superior in the EA1 group than in the EA2 group.These findings confirm that EA can reduce blood lipid,inhibit glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and promote nerve growth factor expression in the hippocampal CA1 region after hyperlipidemia and middle cerebral artery thrombosis.All experimental procedures and protocols were approved by the Animal Use and Management Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,China(approval No.BUCM-3-2018022802-1002)on April 12,2018.

Effect of Sishen pill on expression of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ interferon in acute ulcerative colitis mice model

Objective:To investigate the effects of Sishen pill on the expression of type I interferon(IFN)and type III interferon and their receptors in colonic tissues of mice with acute ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods:Male C57BL/6Cnc mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,sishenwan group and salazosulfapyridine group.The model was made with 0.2 mL 4%dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)for 5 days,and the control group was given 0.2mL normal saline by gavage.On the second day of modeling,sishen pill group was given 0.2mL 1.5 g·kg^(-1) sishen pill,and SASP group was given 0.2mL 0.25 g·kg^(-1) sulfasalazine,twice a day,for 7 days.During the administration period,the disease activity index(DAI)of mice was calculated every day.After administration,the histopathological changes of colon tissues of mice in each group were observed by hematoxylin eosin(HE)staining,and the histological scores were calculated.The expression of IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-λ2 and IFN-λ3 mRNAs in colon tissues of mice in each group were detected by qRT-PCR.The expression levels of IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-λ2 and IFN-λ3 in colon tissues of mice in each group were detected by ELISA.Western blot was used to detect the expression of interferon receptors IFNAR1,IFNAR2 and IFNLR1 in colon tissues of mice in each group.Results:Compared with the control group,the DAI of mice increased significantly(P<0.001)in the model group.The inflammatory cells in colonic tissues infiltrated heavily,lymph nodes enlarged,colonic mucosal structure destroyed,crypt structure lost,inflammation involved a wide range,and the histological score increased significantly(P<0.001).The levels of IFN-α,IFN-βand IFNλ2 mRNA were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.01).The expression levels of IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-λ2 and IFN-λ3 were significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.01,P<0.001,P<0.001).The levels of IFNAR1,IFNAR2 and IFNLR1 were significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the DAI decreased significantly(P<0.001)in Sishen pill group,the infiltration of inflammatory cells in colon tissue were significantly reduced,the structural regeneration of colon mucosa was significantly recovered,the crypt structure was significantly recovered,the lymph nodes were significantly reduced,the range of inflammation involvement was reduced,and the histological score was significantly reduced(P<0.001).The levels of IFN-α,IFN-βand IFN-λ2 mRNA were significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001,P<0.001).The levels of IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-λ2 and IFN-λ3 were significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001,P<0.01,P<0.001).The levels of IFNAR1,IFNAR2 and IFNLR1 were significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.001,P<0.05).Conclusion:Sishen pill may alleviate the symptoms and signs of mice with acute ulcerative colitis by regulating the expression of type I and type III interferon and their receptors in colon tissues.

Allium tuberosum alleviates pulmonary inflammation by inhibiting activation of innate lymphoid cells and modulating intestinal microbiota in asthmatic mice

Objective:This study tests whether long-term intake of Allium tuberosum(AT)can alleviate pulmonary inflammation in ovalbumin(OVA)-induced asthmatic mice and evaluates its effect on the intestinal microbiota and innate lymphoid cells(ILCs).Methods:BALB/c mice were divided into three groups:phosphate buffer saline,OVA and OVA+AT.The asthmatic murine model was established by sensitization and challenge of OVA in the OVA and OVA+AT groups.AT was given to the OVA+AT group by oral gavage from day 0 to day 27.On day 28,mice were sacrificed.Histopathological evaluation of lung tissue was performed using hematoxylin and eosin,and periodic acid-Schiff staining.The levels of IgE in serum,interleukin-5(IL-5)and IL-13 from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The ILCs from the lung and gut were detected by flow cytometry.16 S ribosomal DNA sequencing was used to analyze the differences in colon microbiota among treatment groups.Results:We found that long-term intake of AT decreased the number of inflammatory cells from BALF,reduced the levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF,and IgE level in serum,and rescued pulmonary histopathology with less mucus secretion in asthmatic mice.16 S ribosomal DNA sequencing results showed that AT strongly affected the colonic bacteria community structure in asthmatic mice,although it had no significant effect on the abundance and diversity of the microbiota.Ruminococcaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae were identified as two biomarkers of the treatment effect of AT.Moreover,AT decreased the numbers of ILCs in both the lung and gut of asthmatic mice.Conclusion:The results indicate that AT inhibits pulmonary inflammation,possibly by impeding the activation of ILCs and adjusting the homeostasis of gut microbiota in asthmatic mice.