Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA)and manual acupuncture interventions on colonic inflammatory injury

cytokine level and cell apoptosis in ulcerative colitis(UC)rats

so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of UC.Methods A total of 32 SD rats were randomized into control

model

EA and manual acupuncture groups(8rats/group).The UC model was established by intrarectally administration of 5% trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid(TNBS)+ dehydrated alcohol.Both"Quchi"(LI 11)and"Zusanli"(ST 36)were punctured with filiform needles for 20 min in the manual acupuncture group or stimulated with EA(8Hz/25 Hz

2-4mA

and duration of 20min)in the EA group.The treatment was conducted once daily for consecutive 6days.Changes of body weight and pathological state of colitis were observed.The contents of pro-inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α

IL-1β

IL-6)

anti-inflammatory cytokine(IL-10)

homocysteine(Hcy)and myeloperoxidase(MPO

two oxygen free radicals associated substances)in the colon tissues were detected by ELISA

and the protein expression levels of Bcl-2

Bax

phosphorylated(p)-inhibitor of nuclear factor kappaB kinaseα(IκBα)and p-p 65(a subunit of nuclear factor)of colonic tissues were detected by Western blot

separately.Results Compared with the control group

the body weight was decreased and the state of the swelling and hemorrhage of the colon got worsened in the model group

while the state of the swelling and hemorrhage of the colon was better in both EA and manual acupuncture groups

and the body weight was clearly increased from day 4on in both treatment groups.The concentrations of colonic TNF-α

IL-1β

IL-6

IL-10

MPO and Hcy were all significantly higher in the model group than in the control group(P<0.01)

but those of colonic TNF-α

IL-1β

IL-6in both EA and manual acupuncture groups

those of MPO and Hcy in the EA group were significantly down-regulated following the intervention(P<0.05

P<0.01)

and that of IL-10 was notably further increased in the manual acupuncture group(P<0.05).In addition

modeling-induced remarkable down-regulation of colonic Bcl-2/Bax

and marked up-regulation of expression of IκBαand p-p 65 proteins were significantly suppressed in both EA and manual acupuncture groups(P<0.01).Conclusion Both EA and manual acupuncture interventions may alleviate the colonic lesions in UC rats

which may be related to their functions in regulating levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines

in balancing the expression of apoptosis-related protein and antiapoptosis-related protein and in down-regulating the expression of the key nuclear transcription factors in the colonic tissue.