[Effects of moxibustion intervention on inflammatory reactions and expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins of synovium cells in rheumatoid arthritis rabbits].

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion intervention on inflammatory reactions and expression of suppressor of cyfokine signaling 1 (SOCS 1) and SOCS 2 [Which are involved in inhibition of the Janus Kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcrip-tion (JAK/STAT signaling pathway and in sffenuation of cytokine signaling)] in synovium cells of the hind-knee joint in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rabbits, so as to study its mechanism underlying improvement of RA.

Methods: Forty-two Japanese big-ear white rabbits were randomized into control, model and moxibustion groups respectively, with 14 cases in each group. RA model was established by injection of Freund's Complete Adjuvant (0. 5 mL/kg) into the rabbits' bilateral hind-knee joint cavities. Moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Shenshu" (BL 23) areas, 5 cones every time, once daily for 3 weeks except the Sundays. The perimeters of rabbits' hind legs were measured before and after modeling and after the therapy. The synovial tissue of joint was sampled for analyzing the expression levels of SOCS 1 and SOCS 3 by immunohistochemistry.

Results: Before the therapy, the perimeters of bilateral knee joints of the control, model and moxibustion groups were of no statistical significance (P>0. 05). In comparison with the control group, the perimeters of bilateral knee joints were significantly increased on day 1, 7, 14 and 21 in the model group (P<0. 01). Compared with the model group, the perimeters of bilateral knee joints in the moxibustion group were significantly decreased (P<0. 05), suggesting an improvement of the inflammatory reaction after moxibustion intervention. Correspondingly, synovial SOCS 1 and SOCS 3 expression levels were remarkabely higher in the model group than in the control group (P<0. 01), and obviously decreased in the moxibustion group compared with the model group (P<0. 01).

Conclusions: Moxibustion intervention has an anti-inflammatory and detumescent effects in RA rabbits, which may be closely associated with its effects in down-regulating expression of SOCS 1 and SOCS 3 proteins by suppressing negative feedback regulatory JAK/STAT pathway in synovial cells. [KEY WORDS] Moxibustion; Rheumatoid arthritis; Inflammatory reactions; Synovial cells; Suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins; Negative-feedback regulatory factors