Zuqiang Li,1 Sihui Cao,1 Jingjing Yang,1 Lin Chen,1 Lv Jia,1 Penghui Lu,1 Jin Liu,2 Mi Liu,1 Qiong Liu1 

1School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Mi Liu; Qiong Liu, School of Acupuncture-moxibustion, Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, People’s Republic of China, Email newmean@hnucm.edu.cn; 121181998@qq.com

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) accompanied by depressive symptoms. The potential mechanisms of electroacupuncture are also investigated, particularly in terms of its modulation of oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasomes to influence microglial activation and neuroinflammation, thereby alleviating depressive symptoms.
Material and methods: The inflammatory bowel disease model in mice was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and the mice were randomly assigned to the CON group, DSS group, DSS+EA group, and DSS+ MCC950 group. The assessment of depressive-like behavior in mice involved behavioral tests, while the detection of oxidative stress in the PFC, NLRP3 inflammasomes, central inflammation expression, and microglial activation were conducted using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, immunofluorescence, and biochemical kits.
Results: Mice in the DSS group exhibited significant depressive-like behavior, which was effectively alleviated by electroacupuncture intervention. The intervention also reduced the expression of inflammatory factors and microglial activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) region. Electroacupuncture effectively attenuated oxidative stress, suppressed the recruitment of NLRP3 inflammasomes, and mitigated central nervous system inflammation, with effects similar to those of the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950.
Conclusion: Electroacupuncture significantly alleviated depressive symptoms in IBD mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and microglial activation in the PFC region, thereby ameliorating the neuroinflammatory environment. The findings can provide new theoretical and scientific support for the clinical application of electroacupuncture in treating depressive symptoms associated with IBD.

Keywords: electroacupuncture, inflammatory bowel disease, depression symptoms, NLRP3, neuroinflammation