Grain-sized moxibustion inhibits the progression of Alzheimer disease in 5XFAD transgenic mice

Objective: To investigate whether grain-sized moxibustion at Xinshu (BL15) and Shenshu (BL23) can alleviate cognitive decline and other pathologic features in early-stage Alzheimer disease (AD) using transgenic mice with 5 familial AD mutations (5XFAD). Methods: The genotype of transgenic mice was detected by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 40 transgenic mice (1.5 months old) were randomly and equally allocated to an AD model group (5XFAD group) or a grain-sized moxibustion group (5XFAD + GM group), with 20 wild-type (WT) mice (C57BL/6J) serving as the normal control group (WT group). Mice in the 5XFAD + GM group were treated by grain-sized moxibustion at bilateral Xinshu (BL15) and Shenshu (BL23). Mice in the WT group and 5XFAD group received no treatment but were restrained to ensure exposure to a similar experimental condition. Cognitive function and memory were assessed with the Morris water maze and Y-maze tests. The amyloid beta 40 (A beta(40)) and amyloid beta 42 (A beta(42)) levels in the brain were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; amyloid plaque deposition in brain tissue sections was detected by thioflavin-S staining; the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), cluster of differentiation 11b (CD11b), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: In the Morris water maze test, compared with the 5XFAD group, mice in the 5XFAD + GM group had a shorter escape latency and more target area crossings and spent more time in the target quadrant (P < 0.05). In the Y-maze test, compared with the 5XFAD group, the number of training times of the 5XFAD + GM group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), together with more correct responses (P < 0.05). Compared with the 5XFAD group, the levels of A beta(40) and A beta(42) in the brain tissue of the 5XFAD + GM group were significantly lower (P < 0.05); in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the total number of amyloid beta plaque deposition were significantly lower (P < 0.05); the expression levels of GFAP and CD11b were significantly reduced (P < 0.05); and the expression levels of ChAT and BDNF were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Grain-sized moxibustion at Xinshu (BL15) and Shenshu (BL23) greatly improves learning and memory functions, decreases the levels of A beta(40) and A beta(42), inhibits amyloid beta plaque deposition, decreases the expression of GFAP and CD11b, and increases the expression of ChAT and BDNF in AD mice to inhibit the progression of AD.