Effects of Herbs-partitioned Moxibustion and Electro-acupuncture on Expressions of IGF-I、IGF-IR and IGFBP-5 in Crohn’s Disease Rats

Objective To explore the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion on treating fibrosis in colon of Crohn’s disease(CD) rats by investigating the regulating action of electro-acupuncture and herbs-partitioned moxibustion on the expressions of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I),insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR ) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5).Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,herbs- partitioned moxibustion group,electro-acupuncture group and medication group. CD rat models were made by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. Pathologic histology changes of colon were observed under light microscope with HE stain and Masson stain. The expression of IGF-I mRNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(FQ-PCR). The expressions of IGF-I、IGF-IR and IGFBP-5 protein were determined by Envision immunohistochemical method.Results Compared with normal group, the collagen hyperplasy and expressions of IGF-I,IGF-IR,IGFBP-5 protein and IGF-I mRNA in colon were significantly increased in the model group.After treatment, collagen hyperplasy decreased significantly in herbs- partitioned moxibustion group, electro-acupuncture group and medication group compared with model group. The effect in herbs-partitioned moxibustion group is better than that in electro-acupuncture group. The expressions of IGF-I、IGF-IR、IGFBP-5 protein decreased significantly in herbs-partitioned moxibustion group, electro-acupuncture group and medication group, the expressions of IGF-I、IGFBP-5 protein decreased more in herbs-partitioned moxibustion group than in electro-acupuncture group. The expression of IGF-I mRNA decreased significantly in herbs-partition moxibustion group and medication group while which in electro-acupuncture group had no statistical change.Conclusion Herbs-partitioned moxibustion and electro-acupuncture could decrease the abnormal protein expressions of IGF-I、IGF-IR、IGFBP-5, which may be the important mechanism of herbs-partition group and electro-acupuncture group in decreasing fibrosis of CD rats’ colons. Herbs-partition moxibustion could decrease the expressions of IGF-I mRNA, and it is prior to the electro-acupuncture group in decreasing the expressions of IGF-I、IGFBP-5 protein which possibly lead to a better effect in improvement of fibrosis in herbs-partition moxibustion group.