Objective To observe the effect of moxibustion of acupoints of the Governor Vessel on the levels of cellular autophagy

βamyloid protein(Aβ)immunoactivity

and expression of LC3-Ⅰ

LC3-Ⅱ

p62 and p-P70 S6 Kproteins in the hippocampal tissue of APPswe/PS1 de9(APP/PS1)double-transgenic Alzheimer's disease(AD)mice

so as to reveal its underlying mechanisms in improving AD.Methods APP/PS1 double-transgenic AD mice were randomly divided into AD model

moxibustion

autophagyinducer(Rapamycin)and autophagy-inhibitor(3-MA)+moxibustion groups(n=10 in each group)

and other 10 C57 BL/6 Jmale mice(the same age)were used as the normal control group.Herbal-cake(made of Chuanwu [Radix Aconiti Praeparata])partitioned moxibustion was applied to"Baihui"(GV20)

moxibustion was applied to"Fengfu"(GV16)and"Dazhui"(GV14)

all for 20 min

once daily for 2 weeks

with one day's off between two weeks.For mice of the autophagy-inducer and 3-MA+moxibustion groups

Rapamycin(2 mg·kg-1·d-1)and 3-MA(1.5 mg·kg-1·d-1)were separately administered by intraperitoneal injection for 2 weeks.The cognitive ability was examined by Morris water maze tests

and the ultrastructural changes(including autophagic lysosomes

etc.)of hippocampal neurons were observed by using transmission electron microscopy.The immunoactivity of cerebral cortex and hippocampal Amyloidβpeptide 1-42(Aβ1-42)was detected by immunohistochemistry

and the expression levels of hippocampal LC3-Ⅰ

LC3-Ⅱ

p62 and p-P70 S6 Kproteins were detected by Western blot.Results After modeling

the escape latency of Morris water maze tasks was prolonged in the model group than in the normal control group(P<0.05)and obviously shortened in the moxibustion and autophagy-inducer groups(not the autophagy-inhibitor group)than in the model group(P<0.05).Results of transmission electron microscope showed deformed

irregular or atrophic neurons with rough and incomplete and fuzzy nuclear membrane

and decreased intracellular autophagosomes in the hippocampus in the model group

and partial irregular

atrophic neurons with more autophagic vesicles and lysosomes in the moxibustion group.The expression levels of Aβ1-42 in both cerebral cortex and hippocampus tissues

and LC3-Ⅰ

p62 and p-P70 S6 Kproteins in the hippocampus were considerably up-regulated in the model group relevant to the normal control group(P<0.01)

and evidently down-regulated in both moxibustion and autophagy-inducer groups(not the autophagy-inhibitor group)than in the model group(P<0.01)

while that of hippocampal LC3-Ⅱ protein and LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰratio levels were obviously down-regulated in the model group relevant to the normal control group(P<0.01)

and significantly up-regulated in both moxibustion and autophagy-inducer groups(not the autophagyinhibitor group)than in the model group(P<0.01).Conclusion Moxibustion can improve the cognitive ability of APP/PS1 double-transgenic AD mice

which is associated with its effects in promoting hip-pocampal and cerebral cortex autophagy level

and down-regulating the expression levels of Aβ1-42

LC3-Ⅰ

p62 and p-P70 S6 Kproteins in the hippocampus.