[Effect of different suspension moxibustion methods on syndrome characteristics of rats with rheumatoid arthritis of heat bi syndrome based on "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome"].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of different suspension moxibustion methods on the syndrome characteristics and inflammatory factors of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of heat bi syndrome and to prove the concept of "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome". METHODS: Among seventy Wistar rats, 12 rats were randomly selected as a normal group, and the remaining rats were induced by collagen combined with wind, dampness, and heat environmental stimulation to establish the RA model of heat bi syndrome. Forty-eight rats with successful model establishment were further randomly divided into a model group and three moxibustion groups (mild moxibustion group, rotating moxibustion group and sparrow-pecking moxibustion group), with 12 rats in each group. The acupoints "Quchi" (LI 11), "Dazhui" (GV 14) and ashi point were used in all moxibustion groups, with mild moxibustion, rotating moxibustion, and sparrow-pecking moxibustion intervention given respectively, each acupoint was treated with moxibustion for 10 min a day, and 6 days were considered one course of treatment, with a total of three courses. After the intervention, the arthritis index (AI), the Evans blue (EB) extravasated volume in the soft tissue of the right hind paw, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-10 in the serum were measured by ELISA in each group. The volume of the bilateral hind paw was measured; the infrared thermal imaging was collected to analyze the temperature of the plantar area of the bilateral foot pads, and the reaction time of plantar heat pain was calculated before and after modeling, as well as after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd courses of interrention. The ankle dorsiflexion angle of the right hind foot was also measured before and after modeling, as well as after the intervention. RESULTS: After modeling, compared with the normal group, the rats in the model group had more high-temperature areas in the bilateral hind limbs, abnormal AI score, abnormal bilateral hind paw volume, abnormal temperature of the plantar area of the bilateral foot pads, abnormal foot pain response time, abnormal right hind ankle dorsiflexion angle, abnormal right hind paw soft tissue EB extravasation, and abnormal serum TNF-α and IL-10 levels (P<0.01, P<0.05). After the intervention, compared with the model group, the rats in each moxibustion group had decreased or disappeared high-temperature areas in the bilateral hind limbs, EB extravasated volume in the soft tissue of the right hind paw was reduced (P<0.05), and the right ankle dorsiflexion angle was increased (P<0.05), serum level of TNF-α was reduced, and level of IL-10 increased (P<0.05); the AI scores in the mild moxibustion group and the sparrow-pecking moxibustion group was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05). After the 1st, 2nd and 3rd courses of intervention, compared with the model group, the bilateral hind paw volume of rats in each moxibustion group was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and plantar heat pain reaction time was increased (P<0.05). After the 2nd course and the 3rd course of intervention, the temperature of the right hind paw pad area was decreased in each moribustion group (P<0.05); after the 3rd courses of intervention, the temperature of the left hind paw pad area was decreased in the mild moxibustion group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Suspension moxibustion could adjust the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-10 to improve the syndrome characteristics of RA rats of heat bi syndrome, such as joint redness, swelling, heat, pain and activity restriction. The effect of mild moxibustion is the most prominent. The findings could provide scientific basis for "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome".

[Acupuncture Intervention Improves Behavior Reactions and Learning-memory Ability in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-induced abnormal behavior reactions and learning-memory ability in rats with traumatic injury. METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, model＋animal capturing (capturing), medication and acupuncture groups (n＝12 rats in each). The PTSD model was established by "electric shock plus incarceration" method. Acupuncture was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20), and unilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Taichong" (LR 3) once daily for 12 days. The rats in the medication group were treated by gavage of Paroxetine Hydrochloride solution (0.42 mg/mL), once daily for 12 days. The open field test containing horizontal (crossing grid lines) and rearing tests was performed for examining the rats' locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior; and location navigation (escape latency) and special probe tests (platform quadrant crossing times) of Morris water maze tasks were detected for assessing the rats' learning-memory ability. On day 12 of the experiments, the rats were submitted to 3 consecutive sessions of open field tests for observing the time of familiar objects (TF) and the time of novelty object (TN) of exploration in 5 min (an object-location and an object-recognition tasks), followed by calculating the discrimination index [DI＝(TN－TF)/(TN＋TF)x100%]. RESULTS: After modeling, compared with the control group, the numbers of crossed grids and rearing, and DI were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the number of fecal pellets and escape latency were significantly increased in both the model and capturing groups (P<0.05). After the intervention, the number of both crossed grids and rearing, platform quadrant crossing times, and DI were considerably increased (P<0.05), and the rats' escape latency and fecal pellet number were obviously decreased in both medication and acupuncture groups relevant to the model and capturing groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and medication groups in the above mentioned 5 indexes (P>0.05)．. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can effectively reduce anxiety-like behavior and improve the impaired learning-memory ability in PTSD rats.

Natural Product Vibsanin A Induces Differentiation of Myeloid Leukemia Cells through PKC Activation.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-based cell differentiation therapy has been successful in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia, a unique subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, other subtypes of AML display resistance to ATRA-based treatment. In this study, we screened natural, plant-derived vibsane-type diterpenoids for their ability to induce differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells, discovering that vibsanin A potently induced differentiation of AML cell lines and primary blasts. The differentiation-inducing activity of vibsanin A was mediated through direct interaction with and activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Consistent with these findings, pharmacological blockade of PKC activity suppressed vibsanin A-induced differentiation. Mechanistically, vibsanin A-mediated activation of PKC led to induction of the ERK pathway and decreased c-Myc expression. In mouse xenograft models of AML, vibsanin A administration prolonged host survival and inhibited PKC-mediated inflammatory responses correlated with promotion of skin tumors in mice. Collectively, our results offer a preclinical proof of concept for vibsanin A as a myeloid differentiation-inducing compound, with potential application as an antileukemic agent. Cancer Res; 76(9); 2698-709. ©2016 AACR.