Objective To observe the effect of herbal cake-separated moxibustion on blood lipid-apoprotein levels and the expression of Toll-like receptor 2(TLR 2)

TLR 4 and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)mRNAs in atherosclerotic(AS)vulnerable plaques of hyperglycemia rabbits

so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of atherosclerosis.Methods Sixty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups:control

model

direct moxibustion

herbal-cake-separated moxibustion and medication groups(n=12 rabbits in each group).The AS vulnerable plaque model was established by high-fat forage feeding plus balloon-induced abdominal aorta injury and gene transfection of Ad 5-p 53 recombinant vector.Direct moxibustion or herbal-cake-separated moxibustion was applied to"Juque"(CV 14)and bilateral"Tianshu"(ST 25)

"Fenglong"(ST 40)

or bilateral"Xinshu"(BL 15)

"Pishu"(BL 20)and"Ganshu"(BL 18)for 15-20 min every time.The medication group was treated by feeding Atorvastatin.All the treatments were conducted once daily for 8 weeks.Plasma total cholesterol(TC)and triglyceride(TG)contents were detected by enzyme method

high-density lipoprotein(HDL)and low-density lipoprotein(LDL)contents detected by colorimetric determination

and plasma apolipoprotein A(Apo-A)and apolipoprotein B(Apo-B)levels determined by electrophoretic method.The pathological changes of vulnerable plaque and the aortic intima and media thickness were observed under light microscope after H.E.staining.The expression levels of TLR 2

TLR 4 and NF-κB mRNAs in AS plaques were determined by quantitative real-time PCR.Results After modeling

the levels of plasma TC

TG

LDL and Apo-B in the model group were remarkably increased(P<0.01)

and Apo-A and HDL/LDL were significantly decreased in comparison with the control group(P<0.01).Additionally

the aortic intima and media thickness and the expression levels of TLR 2

TLR 4 and NF-κB mRNAs in AS plaques were significantly increased(P<0.01).After the treatment

the elevated levels of plasma TC

TG

LDL and Apo-B

the aortic intima thickness and media thickness

and the expression levels of TLR 2

TLR 4 and NF-κB mRNAs in the 3 treatment groups were significantly down-regulated in comparison with the model group(P<0.05

P<0.01)

while the decreased levels of Apo-A and HDL/LDL were considerably increased(P<0.01).Comparison among the 3 treatment groups showed that the therapeutic effects of the herbal-cake-separated moxibustion and medication were significantly superior to those of the direct moxibustion in down-regulating the levels of TC

TG

LDL

Apo-B

TLR 2 mRNA

TLR 4 mRNA and NF-κB mRNA

and reducing the thickness of the aortic intima and media

as well as in up-regulating the levels of Apo-A and HDL/LDL(P<0.05

P<0.01).No significant differences were found between the herbal-cake-separated moxibustion and medication groups in the above-mentioned indexes(P>0.05).Conclusion Herbal-cake-separated moxibustion has a positive role in stabilizing AS vulnerable plaque in hyperglycemia rabbits

which may be associated with its effects in regulating blood lipid-apolipoprotein levels and inhibiting the expression of TLR 2

TLR 4 and NF-κB mRNAs in vulnerable plaques.