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Study on the mechanism of moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

基于液相色谱-质谱法的艾灸治疗类风湿关节炎机制研究

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Abstract

Objective

To explore the mechanism of moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by observing the metabolite changes in urine using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomic analysis.

Methods

Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and a moxibustion group. Rats in the model and moxibustion groups were established as collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models. The control and model groups did not receive any intervention; rats in the moxibustion group received moxibustion at Shenshu (BL23) and Zusanli (ST36). After three weeks of intervention, ankle joint, serum, and urine samples were collected for pathological examinations and metabolomic tests.

Results

After moxibustion treatment, the CIA rats showed increased body mass, reduced swelling of the hind paws and arthritis score, decreased serum cytokine levels, and improved histopathological evaluation of the ankle joint. Twenty-four significantly altered metabolites were found, mainly involved in alanine metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, phenylalanine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. These metabolites may serve as potential biomarkers for RA.

Conclusion

Moxibustion can effectively resist inflammation in CIA rats. The potential biomarkers and the abnormal metabolic pathways of RA can be identified by LC-MS-based metabolomics. Metabolomics may be an effective way to explain the mechanism of moxibustion in treating RA.

摘要

目的

通过代谢组学液相色谱-质谱法(LC-MS)比较尿液代谢物的变化, 以探索艾灸治疗类风湿关节炎(RA)的机 制。

方法

将24 只大鼠随机分为对照组, 模型组和艾灸组。模型组和艾灸组大鼠建立胶原性关节炎(CIA)模型。对照 组和模型组不干预; 艾灸组大鼠接受艾灸肾俞和足三里治疗。干预3 周后, 收集踝关节, 血清和尿液标本进行病理学 和代谢组学检测。

结果

艾灸治疗后, CIA大鼠体质量增加, 后足肿胀度减轻, 关节炎评分及血清细胞因子水平降低, 踝 关节的组织病理形态改善。共发现24 种显著变化的代谢产物, 主要涉及丙氨酸代谢, 牛磺酸和次牛磺酸代谢, 三羧 酸循环, 苯丙氨酸代谢, 酪氨酸代谢和初级胆汁酸的生物合成。这些代谢物可作为RA的潜在生物标记。

结论

艾灸治 疗可以有效抵抗CIA大鼠的炎症。RA的潜在生物标志物和异常代谢途径可通过代谢组学LC-MS被确定。代谢组学可 能是解释艾灸治疗RA机制的有效途径。

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China (国家自然科学基金项目, No. 81774383, No. 81904274); Nursing Advantageous Discipline Construction Project in Jiangsu Universities (江苏省高校护理优势学科建设项目, No. 2019YSHL008, No. 2019YSHL021); Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (江苏省研究生科研创新计划项目, No. KYCX21_1802).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Xiangtian Pang  (庞祥天), Yufei Leng  (冷雨飞), Yao Yao  (姚瑶), Danwen Wang  (王丹文) & Zhiling Sun  (孙志岭)

  2. Basic Medicine, Nanjing Vocational Health College, Nanjing, 210038, China

    Cheng Li  (李程)

  3. School of Nursing, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China

    Xiao Xu  (徐骁)

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  1. Xiangtian Pang  (庞祥天)
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Correspondence to Zhiling Sun  (孙志岭).

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The treatment of animals conformed to the ethical criteria in this experiment.

First Author: PANG Xiangtian, master degree candidate

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Pang, X., Leng, Y., Yao, Y. et al. Study on the mechanism of moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 20, 247–256 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-022-1321-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-022-1321-9

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