[Effect of plasma of healthy subjects undergoing moxibustion on ethanol-injured human gastric epithelial GES-1 cells in vitro and the involved mitochondrial apoptosis pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of plasma derived from healthy volunteers undergoing moxibustion (moxibustion plasma) on alchol-injured human gastric epithelial GES-1 cells in vitro, and expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70, cell apoptosis inhibitory protein), apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), Smac (a mitochondrial protein), and Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 (the latter 3 proteins are also involved in cell apoptosis) in order to study its mechanisms underlying protecting gastric mucous membrane. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy volunteer subjects (half men and half women) were randomized into acupoint-moximustion (A-M) [Zhongwan(CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36)] group and non-acupoint-moxibustion (NA-M, 3 cun right to CV 12 and CV 4.1 cun medial to ST 36 ) group (n = 12/group). Moxibustion was applied to the above-mentioned 3 acupoints and non-acupoints for 30 min, once daily for 10 days. Venous blood of the subjects was collected before and after moxibustion. The cultured GES-1 cells were divided into: control group. ethanol-injury group (model), A-M plasma group (A-M-P, plasma got from volunteers undergoing A-M), and NA-M plasma group (NA-M-P,plasma got from volunteers accepting NA-M). The GES-1 cells of the latter 3 groups were treated with 8% ethanol for duplicating cell injury model. Apoptosis was detected by flowcytometry. Expression of HSP 70, second mitochondria-derived activator of Caspase (Smac) and AIF proteins of GES-1 cells were assayed by western blotting, and the immunoactivity of cysteinyl aspirate-specific proteinase-3 and 9 (Caspase-3, 9) was detected by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, the apoptosis rate, the expression of HSP 70, Smac and AIF proteins, and the immunoactivity of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 of the model group were increased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the apoptosis rate of GES-1 cells, the expression of Smac and AIF proteins, and the immunoactivity of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in the A-M-P group, the apoptosis rate, the expression of Smac and the immunoactivity of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in the NA-M-P group were all down-regulated considerably (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comparison with the model group, HSP 70 expression of the A-M-P group was up-regulated significantly (P < 0.01). The apoptosis rate of GES-1 cells, the expression levels of Smac, AIF, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were significantly lower in the A-M-P group than in the NA-M-P group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the expression of HSP 70 was apparently higher in the A-M-P group than in the NA-M-P group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Plasma derived from the subjects undergoing moxibustion of Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Guanyuan (CV 4) can inhibit apoptosis of GES-1 cells in vitro, which is closely related to its effects in up-regulating intracellular HSP 70 expression and down-regulating mitochondrial apoptosis protein expression of AIF. Smac, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of opposing needling for treatment of poststroke shoulder-hand syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of opposing needling and routine acupuncture for treatment of poststroke shoulder-hand syndrome. METHODS: Sixty cases were randomly divided into an opposing needling group and a routine acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. In the two groups, Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected, with on the healthy side selected for the opposing needling group and on the affected side selected for the routine acupuncture group. The motor function of the affected limb was evaluated by Fugl-Meyer scale, activity of daily living by ADL scale, and pain by VAS, and the edema degree was investigated before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were significant differences before treatment and after 2 therapeutic courses in the scores of Fugl-Meyer for the upper limb motor function and the ADL score for activity of daily living (both P<0.05), with the opposing needling group being significantly better than the routine acupuncture group (P<0.05); after treatment, both the edema degree and the pain scores significantly decreased (both P<0.05), with the opposing needling group in improvement of the edema degree being better the routine acupuncture group (P<0.05), and with no significant difference between the two groups in improvement of pain (P>0.05); the total effective rate was 93.3% in the opposing needling group and 90.0% in the routine acupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical therapeutic effect of the opposing needling is better than that of routine acupuncture therapy for treatment of poststroke shoulder hand syndrome.