Table_3_Electroacupuncture alleviates ulcerative colitis by targeting CXCL1: evidence from the transcriptome and validation.docx

BackgroundWe aimed to use transcriptomics, bioinformatics analysis, and core gene validation to identify the core gene and potential mechanisms for electroacupuncture (EA) treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).Materials and methodsEA was performed in mice after induction of UC via dextran sodium sulfate. Body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, and hematoxylin-eosin of the colon tissue were used to evaluate the effects of EA. Mice transcriptome samples were analyzed to identify the core genes, and further verified with human transcriptome database; the ImmuCellAI database was used to analyze the relationship between the core gene and immune infiltrating cells (IICs); and immunofluorescence was used to verify the results.ResultsEA could reduce DAI and histological colitis scores, increase bodyweight and colon length, and improve the expression of local and systemic proinflammatory factors in the serum and colon of UC mice. Eighteen co-differentially expressed genes were identified by joint bioinformatics analyses of mouse and human transcriptional data; Cxcl1 was the core gene. EA affected IICs by inhibiting Cxcl1 expression and regulated the polarization of macrophages by affecting the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ, inhibiting the expression of CXCL1.ConclusionsCXCL1 is the target of EA, which is associated with the underlying immune mechanism related to Th1 cytokine IFN-γ.

背景：本研究旨在通过转录组学、生物信息学分析和核心基因验证，识别电针治疗溃疡性结肠炎（UC）的核心基因及其潜在机制。研究方法：通过硫酸葡聚糖诱导小鼠溃疡性结肠炎后，对小鼠进行电针治疗。采用体重、疾病活动指数（DAI）、结肠长度和结肠组织苏木精-伊红染色结果评估电针治疗效果。对小鼠转录组样本进行分析以识别核心基因，并进一步通过人类转录组数据库进行验证；利用ImmuCellAI数据库分析核心基因与免疫浸润细胞（IICs）之间的关系；并通过免疫荧光技术验证研究结果。结果：电针治疗能够降低DAI和结肠炎组织学评分，增加体重和结肠长度，并改善UC小鼠血清和结肠中局部和全身性促炎因子的表达。通过联合小鼠和人类转录组数据的生物信息学分析，共鉴定出18个共差异表达基因；Cxcl1为核心基因。电针治疗通过抑制Cxcl1表达影响IICs，并通过影响Th1型细胞因子IFN-γ调节巨噬细胞的极化，抑制CXCL1的表达。结论：Cxcl1是电针治疗的目标，其与Th1型细胞因子IFN-γ相关的潜在免疫机制有关。