[Effect of acupuncture on expression of transfer growth factor-β1 in lacrimal gland of rabbits with dry eye]
- PMID: 32959555
- DOI: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.190977
[Effect of acupuncture on expression of transfer growth factor-β1 in lacrimal gland of rabbits with dry eye]
Abstract
Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on expression of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) in lacrimal gland of rabbits with dry eye, so as to explore its underlying mechanism in improving dry eye.
Methods: Healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 groups (n=6 in each group), namely, blank group, model group, western medicine group, acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group. The dye eye rabbit model was estabilished by subcutaneous injection of Scopolamine Hydrobromide solution for 21 days. After modeling, rabbits in the western medicine group were treated with Flumirone eye drops in their eyes 3 times a day, one drop each time. Rabbits of the acupuncture group reveived electroacupuncture(4 Hz/20 Hz, 1 mA) at "Cuanzhu"(BL2) and "Tongziliao"(GB1) for 15 min, and received acupuncture at "Jingming"(BL1), "Taiyang" (EX-HN5) and "Sizhukong"(TE23) for 15 min, once a day. Rabbits of the sham acupuncture group received blunt acupuncture at the surface of the same acupoints once a day. All the treatments were conducted for 14 days. The changes of tear flow, tear film break-up time (BUT) and lacrimal gland morphology in each group were observed. The expression of TGF-β1 protein and mRNA in lacrimal gland were detected by Western blot and quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR respectively.
Results: Following modeling, except for the blank group, the tear flow and BUT in other 4 groups decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with their own pretreatment, the tear flow and BUT in western medicine group and acupuncture group increased after the treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the tear flow and BUT increased in the western medicine group and the acupuncture group(P<0.05). Atrophic lacrimal epithelial cells and the stroma of mucous membrane infiltrated by lymphocytes and plasma cells were found in rabbits of the model group and the sham acupuncture group. By contrast, in the western medicine group and the acupuncture group, the structure of lacrimal epithelial cells was basically normal, and the infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells were scattered in the stroma of mucous membrane. In comparison with the blank group, the expression of TGF-β1 protein and mRNA in lacrimal gland were significantly up-regulated in the model and sham acupuncture groups (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of TGF-β1 protein and mRNA were significantly down-regulated in the western medicine and acupuncture groups (P<0.01, P<0.05).
Conclusion: Acupuncture intervention can increase tear flow and BUT in rabbits with dry eye, which may be related to the regulation of TGF-β1 expression in lacrimal gland.
目的：观察针刺对干眼兔泪腺中转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)表达的影响，探讨针刺治疗干眼的作用机制。方法：新西兰兔随机分为空白组、模型组、西药组、针刺组、假针刺组，每组6只。用氢溴酸东莨菪碱溶液皮下注射制备干眼兔模型。西药组予双眼滴氟米龙滴眼液，每天3次，每次1滴；针刺组电针“攒竹”“瞳子髎”穴15 min，针刺“睛明”“太阳”“丝竹空”穴15 min，每天1次；假针刺组选穴同针刺组，用钝针对穴位表面点刺，每天1次。以上各组疗程均为14 d。观察各组兔泪流量、泪膜破裂时间(BUT)和泪腺形态学变化，并分别用Western blot法和实时荧光定量PCR法检测各组兔泪腺中TGF-β1蛋白和mRNA的表达。结果：与造模前比较，造模后除空白组外，其余各组泪流量、BUT显著降低(P<0.01)；与治疗前比较，治疗后西药组和针刺组泪流量、BUT增加(P<0.05)；治疗后与模型组比较，西药组和针刺组泪流量、BUT增加(P<0.05)。模型组、假针刺组兔泪腺上皮细胞萎缩，黏膜组织间质中可见淋巴细胞、浆细胞浸润；西药组、针刺组兔泪腺上皮细胞结构基本正常，黏膜组织间质中有散在淋巴细胞、浆细胞浸润。与空白组比较，模型组和假针刺组兔泪腺中TGF-β1蛋白和mRNA表达显著增加(P<0.01)；与模型组比较，西药组和针刺组兔泪腺中TGF-β1蛋白和mRNA表达显著降低(P<0.01，P<0.05)，假针刺组兔泪腺中TGF-β1蛋白和mRNA表达差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论：针刺干预可增加干眼兔的泪流量和BUT，其作用机制可能与针刺调控泪腺中TGF-β1的表达有关。.
Keywords: Acupuncture; Dry eye; Schirmer I test; Tear break-up time; Transforming growth factor-β1.
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