Electro-acupuncture on Lower He-sea Points: How Does it Affect Serum HMGB1 and Tissue α7 nAChR in Ulcerative Colitis Rats

Objective: To observe the expression levels of serum high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) , nicotinic acetylcholine receptor 7 (7 nAChR) and nuclear factor kappa-B mRNA(NF-κB mRNA) in colon tissue after electroacupuncture (EA) on Shangjuxu, Zusanli, Xiajuxu,Yanglingquan and Chengjin points, by comparison of the different effects we could thus explore the relative specificity of Shangjuxu on treating its corresponding viscera’ s disease. Methods: Seventy SD rats were randomly assigned to seven groups labeled by blank control (A), Model (B), Shang Ju Xu (C), Zu San Li (D), Xia Ju Xu (E), Yang Ling Quan (F), Cheng Jin (G), ten (half males and half females) in each group. Except for the blank control group, animals in other groups were modeled to ulcerative colitis (UC) by lavation of 2-4-6trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol solution. After successful modeling animals in the five treatment groups were respectively treated with electroaccupuncture at corresponding acupoint for 10 consecutive days. Then histological changes in the colon were observed by 1ight microscopy. ELISA method was used to check models’serum HMGB1 content, and 7 nAChR in the colon were detected by western blot , RT-PCR was used to detecte NF-κB mRNA. Results: ①Compared with the model group, the tissue injury changes in 5 treatment groups improved to a certain extent, and the colon tissue NF-κB mRNA expression of them decreasd signifcantly（P<0.01),as well, the 7 nAChR expression of Shang Ju Xu group, Zu San Li group and Xia Ju Xu group increased signifcantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05),and their serum HMGB1 content made obvious decrease(P<0.01 or P<0.05), the 7 nAChR expression in Yang Ling Quan group was also increased significantly（P<0.01).②Compared with Shang Ju Xu group, the tissue injury changes of groups including Xia Ju Xu,Yang Ling Quan and Cheng Jin are much severe under light microscope, and the 7 nAChR expression of them decreased with significance（P<0.01),both serum HMGB1 content and colon tissue NF-κB mRNA expression increased significantly as well（P<0.01),the serum HMGB1 content of Zu San Li group also increased significantly（P<0.01). Conclusion: ①Electroacupuncture on all five different acupoints can improve the UC through regulating HMGB1,7 nAChR and NF-κB mRNA, and effectively inhibiting the immune response, reducing inflammatory response of colon and improving pathological changes of colonic mucosa.②The effect of treating UC inflammation in rats when electroacupuncture at Shang Ju Xu was better than Zu San Li,Xiajuxu,Yang Ling Quan and Cheng Jin,which demonstrated that Shangjuxu treating UC has some relative specificity.