Efficacy of catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20) on lung tissue, brain tissue and blood related indexes in rats with allergic rhinitis of lung deficiency type

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of acupoint catgut embedding for 3 weeks on lung tissue, blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) and interleutin-4 (IL-4), brain tissue microglia x-42 (OX-42) and toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) in rats with allergic rhinitis of lung deficiency type.

Methods: Forty-five female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided for two times. The first time, they were randomly divided into model group and blank group (Group C) according to 2:1, and the second time, the model group were randomly divided into model control group (Group B) and intervention treatment group (Group A) according to 1:1. 15 in each group. For Group A and Group B, the lung deficiency model was made by "sulfur-moxa fumigation", and then the allergic rhinitis model was established by "ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization". Then catgut embedding was performed at acupoints in Group A and not in Group B. After 3 weeks, collect lung tissue samples for hematoxylin-eosin staining, then take blood to observe the concentration of IgE and IL-4, and finally take brain tissue to observe the results of OX-42 and TLR-2.

Results: IgE level (μg/mL) was (3.11 ± 0.20) in the Group A, (4.19 ± 0.44) in the Group B, and (2.29 ± 0.30) in the Group C (all < 0.001). IL-4 level (pg/mL) was (14.2 ± 0.7) in the Group A, (18.6 ± 2.4) in the Group B, and (11.4 ± 1.2) for the Group C (all < 0.001). The mean OD for OX-42 is (0.1728 ± 0.0016) in the Group A, (0.1810 ± 0.0046) in the Group B and (0.1674 ± 0.0025) in the Group C (all < 0.001).

Conclusion: Although 3 weeks of acupoint catgut embedding already showed obvious efficacy on rats with allergic rhinitis, the allergic reaction in the body still continued. To achieve further treatment, prolonging the catgut embedding time is necessary.

Keywords: acupoint catgut embedding; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; hippocampus; immunoglobulin E; interleukin-4; rhinitis, allergic; toll-like receptor 2.

Figure 1. Inter-group comparison of HE staining of lung tissues

A: HE staining of lung tissue in group A rats (×100); B: HE staining of lung tissue in group A rats (×400); C: HE staining of lung tissue in group B rats (×100); D: HE staining of lung tissue in group B rats (×400); E: staining of lung tissue in group C rats (×100); F: HE staining of lung tissue in group C rats (×400). HE: hematoxylin-eosin. Group A: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization + maintenance sensitization) model, received acupoint catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20); Group B: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization) model, without acupoint catgut embedding treatment; Group C: blank control group. AR: allergic rhinitis; HE: hematoxylin-eosin.

Figure 2. Inter-group comparison of hippocampal HE staining

A: hippocampal HE staining in group A rats (×100); B: hippocampal HE staining in group A rats (×400); C: hippocampal HE staining in group B rats (×100); D: Hippocampal HE staining in group B rats (×400); E: hippocampal HE staining in group C rats (×100); F: hippocampal HE staining in group C rats (×400). Group A: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization + maintenance sensitization) model, received acupoint catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20); Group B: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization) model, without acupoint catgut embedding treatment; Group C: blank control group. AR: allergic rhinitis; HE: hematoxylin-eosin.

Figure 3. Inter-group comparison of immunohistochemical staining of OX-42

A: immunohistochemical staining of OX-42 in the hippocampus in group A rats (×400); B: immunohistochemical staining of OX-42 in the hippocampus in group B rats (×400); C: immunohistochemical staining of OX-42 in the hippocampus in group C rats (×400). OX-42: brain tissue microglia X-42. Group A: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization + maintenance sensitization) model, received acupoint catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20); Group B: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization) model, without acupoint catgut embedding treatment; Group C: blank control group. OX-42: brain tissue microglia x-42; AR: allergic rhinitis.

Figure 4. Inter-group comparison of immunofluorescence staining of TLR-2

A: immunofluorescence staining of TLR-2 in the hippocampus in group A rats; B: immunofluorescence staining of TLR-2 in the hippocampus in group B rats; C: immunofluorescence staining of TLR-2 in the hippocampus in group C rats. TLR-2: toll-like receptor-2. Group A: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization + maintenance sensitization) model, received acupoint catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20); Group B: lung-deficiency (by referring to Chen's method) AR animal (by basic sensitization + enhanced sensitization) model, without acupoint catgut embedding treatment; Group C: blank control group. TLR-2: toll-like receptor-2; AR: allergic rhinitis.