ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the effects of different moxibustion times on proteins of transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) ion channel protein and synovial cell apoptosis in rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to provide a new basis for the anti-inflammatory mechanism of moxibustion. Methods:A total of 50 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into a normal group, a model group, moxibustion groupⅠ, moxibustion groupⅡ and moxibustion groupⅢ by complete randomization, with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the normal group were bred routinely, and rats in the model group were also bred routinely after successful modeling. After successful modeling, rats in moxibustion groupⅠ,Ⅱ andⅢ accepted consecutive moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) and Shenshu (BL 23) for 15 d, once a day, respectively 5 min, 20 min and 30 min for each session. The degree of paw edema was observed and recorded. Immunohistochemical assay was used to detect the protein expression of TRPV3 ion channel in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord dorsal horn. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect apoptotic synovial cell number. Results: At the end of treatment, paw circumference of rats in moxibustion groupⅡ andⅢ were significantly reduced as compared with that in the model group (P<0.05). TRPV3 ion channel protein expression of dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord dorsal horn was higher in the model group than that in the normal group (P<0.05); the TRPV3 ion channel protein expressions of dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord dorsal horn in moxibustion groupⅡ andⅢ were higher than that in moxibustion groupⅠ (P<0.05); apoptotic synovial cell number in the model group was larger than that in the normal group (P<0.05), and apoptotic synovial cell numbers in moxibustion groupⅡ andⅢ were significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion:Moxibustion of appropriate time could induce TRPV3 expression, and promote synovial cell apoptosis.