Objective: To observe the effect of acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) combined with moxibustion on the expressions of Notch receptor 1 and target genes Hes 1 and Math 1 in colonic mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC) rats, so as to reveal its mechanism of treating UC from the perspective of Notch signaling pathway.

Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomized into normal, model, ACE combined with moxibustion (combination), ACE, and moxibustion groups (n=6 in each group). The UC model was established by intrarectal administration of 5% trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid and 50% ethyl alcohol. Moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Shangjuxu" (ST37), "Tianshu" (ST25) and "Dachangshu" (BL25) for 10 min, once daily for 14 days, and ACE applied to the same 3 acupoints, once a week for two weeks. After the treatment, colonic mucosal pathological changes were observed after hematoxylin eosin (HE) stain. Protein and mRNA expressions of Notch 1, Hes 1 and Math 1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Results: H.E. staining showed severe defect of the colonic mucosal epithelium with infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells in the model group, which was milder in moxibustion, ACE and moxibustion + ACE groups. After modeling, the protein and mRNA expressions of Notch 1 and Hes 1 in the colonic mucosa were obviously increased (P<0.01), while the protein and mRNA expressions of Math 1 were significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the model group relevant to the normal group. Following the intervention, the protein and mRNA expression levels of Notch 1 and Hes 1 in the colonic mucosa were significantly lower (P<0.05, P<0.01) in moxibustion, ACE and combination groups, the mRNA expression level of Math 1 was significantly increased in both ACE and combination groups (P<0.01), and the protein expression of Math 1 was significantly higher in the three treatment groups relevant to the model group (P<0.01). The above indexes of moxibustion + ACE were considerably superior to those of simple ACE and simple moxibustion (P<0.05, P<0.01).

Conclusions: Acupoint catgut embedding combined with moxibustion can repair the injured colonic mucosa of UC rats, which may be related with its effects in suppressing the expression of Notch 1 and Hes 1, up-regulating the expression of Math 1 in the colonic mucosa, thereby regulating the balance of differentiation between colonic epithelial secretory and absorption cell lines.