Benign regulation of the gut microbiota: The possible mechanism through which the beneficial effects of manual acupuncture on cognitive ability and intestinal mucosal barrier function occur in APP/PS1 mice

Abstract

BackgroundGut microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal barrier injury play vital roles in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) onset and development. Our previous studies have demonstrated that manual acupuncture (MA) could improve the cognitive abilities of APP/PS1 mice. However, the effect of MA on the intestinal mucosal barrier and the gut microbiota mechanism through which this effect occurs remain to be clarified.MethodsIn the APP/PS1 manual acupuncture (Am) group, MA was applied in Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV29), and Zusanli (ST36). Mice in the APP/PS1 antibiotic + manual acupuncture (Aa) group were treated with an antibiotic mixture and MA at the same time. Probiotics were delivered to the APP/PS1 probiotics (Ap) group. Alterations in spatial learning and memory, the gut microbiota, the intestinal barrier function, and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and TNF-α were evaluated in each group.ResultsCompared with the C57BL/6 control (Cc) group, cognitive ability was significantly decreased, the gut microbiota structure was obviously disrupted, intestinal barrier integrity was drastically impaired, and the intestinal inflammatory response was enhanced in the APP/PS1 control (Ac) group (P < 0.01). These changes were reversed by MA and probiotics (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), whereas antibiotics inhibited the benign regulation by MA (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).ConclusionManual acupuncture can benignly modulate gut microbiota dysbiosis, significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, and effectively alleviate the destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier in APP/PS1 mice, and the effects are comparable to those of probiotics. The gut microbiota may play an important role in the improvement of the cognitive function and intestinal barrier function by MA.

Changes of local microenvironment and systemic immunity after acupuncture stimulation during inflammation: A literature review of animal studies

“…EA was protective against the deleterious metabolic changes caused by high-fat diet-induced obesity via modulating the gut microbiota ( 60 ). MA mitigated the gut microbiota changes in the APP/PS1 Alzheimer's disease mouse group, and the cognitive function and the intestinal barriers were also improved in the MA treatment group ( 61 ). The gut microbiota is another potential platform to explain the crosstalk between the immune system and the neural system.…”

Effect of acupuncture on neuroinflammation in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease: A preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis

“…International research on traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of AD has focused on Chinese herbs [e.g., Morinda officinalis How , Astragali radix (Dong et al, 2022)] or active ingredients of Chinese herbs [e.g., polysaccharides , ginsenoside (Wu et al, 2022a), evodiamine (Pang et al, 2022), Huperzine A (Yan et al, 2022)], herbal prescriptions [e.g., Yi-Gan San (Yang et al, 2023), Yuan-Zhi Decoction (Wu et al, 2022b)], special therapies [e.g., Wuqinxi exercise (Luo et al, 2022), Tai Chi Quan (Wang et al, 2022)], and acupuncture (Cai et al, 2019;Yu et al, 2021a;Zheng et al, 2021;Hao et al, 2022) to improve memory and cognitive impairment in AD models, involving various mechanisms such as regulation of βamyloid and tau proteins, anti-oxidation, anti-neuroinflammation, modulation of autophagy and many other mechanisms. Among these, acupuncture is considered to be a highly promising alternative therapy for AD.…”

Acupuncture treatment for post-stroke depression: Intestinal microbiota and its role

“…In diseased animals, Hao et al (2022) observed under an electron microscope that the damage of small intestine structures were significantly reduced after intervention with manual acupuncture. An electron-microscopical examination reveals a mild separation of the epithelium from the lamina propria, an orderly arrangement of intestinal gaps as well as narrower connection gaps.…”

“…According to Hao et al (2022) , mice experiencing manual acupuncture showed a significant increase in Bacteroides while a decrease in Proteobacteria and Escherichia–Shigella, however, no significant improvement in intestinal microbiota diversity was found, perhaps method of calculating diversity or insufficient samples might limit the result of diversity.…”

“… Hao et al (2022) observed that after manual acupuncture intervention, the fluorescence intensity of LPS that could be stained by immunofluorescence decreased, as well as the number of cells that could express glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the lamina propria of the intestine and the contents of LPS and TNF-α in serum and intestinal tract. Researchers suggested by reducing the toxic effect of TNF-α on intestinal mucosa and the inflammatory effect of LPS, the structure of tight junction proteins was protected, and inflammatory mediators were reduced into the circulation, thus protecting the CNS.…”