Yin Shi Huangan Wu   Jing Zhou Tao Li Yuwei Li Liu Chen

(1 Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203; 2 Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Meridian, Shanghai, 200030)

Abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, which is recurrent and refractory. Its mechanism has not been fully  understood.  Intestinal  fibrosis  and  consequent  stenosis  or  intestinal  obstruction  are  the  common complications. In recent years, studies found that intestinal epithelial cells can be activated by intestinal epithelial tissue damage, inflammation and cytokines. The activated epithelial cells result in changes of cell phenotype and functions in CD. These changes cause intestinal epithelial mesenchymal transition and thus lead to intestinal fibrosis. Our previous research has demonstrated the effect of  herbs-partition moxibustion and/or  acupuncture in treating and  preventing  intestinal  fibrosis  in  CD.  This  study  observed  effect  of acupuncture  and  moxibustion  (acupuncture  combined  with  moxibustion  treatment)  in  histomorphology and expressions  of TGF-β1、 TβR1、 TβR2、 Smad3、 SNAIL1、 E-cadherin、fibronectin in colonic epithelium. It aims to elaborate that effect of acupuncture and moxibustion in suppressing  TGF-β1-Smads-Snail-induced intestinal epithelial mesenchymal transition is possibly by regulating abnormality of  TGF-β1-Smads-Snailpathway based on mechanism of intestinal epithelial mesenchymal transition induced by TGF-β1-SmadsSnail pathway in CD.

Key  words:  Crohn's  disease,  intestinal  epithelial  mesenchymal  transition,  TGF-β1-Smads-Snail  pathway, herbs-partition moxibustion, acupuncture