The NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome in the mechanism of electroacupuncture: Current status and future perspectives

Abstract

Electroacupuncture, which is the most widely used alternative medicine treatment, has been gradually recognized for its effectiveness; however, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. The NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a thoroughly studied inflammasome that is closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, and other diseases and plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of human immune system diseases. In recent years, some scholars have found that the NLRP3 inflammasome is a part of the mechanism of action of electroacupuncture, which has attracted further attention. In the current review, using “electroacupuncture” and “NLRP3 inflammasome” as keywords and based on the existing randomized controlled trials or clinical trials, we summarize the mechanisms of electroacupuncture targeting NLRP3 inflammasome in the treatment of different diseases and discuss how to optimize the electroacupuncture protocol to obtain thorough mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome in electroacupuncture and improve the level of evidence.

Clinical effects of chemical drugs, fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, dietary fiber, and acupuncture in the treatment of chronic functional constipation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

“…Acupuncture has emerged as a potential intervention that can regulate the gastrointestinal tract through various pathways and targets. It affects the brain–gut peptides in the body, thereby improving the brain–gut axis pathway, promoting intestinal contraction, and regulating intestinal function and motility [84]. Studies have shown that acupuncture at the ST25 (Tian shu) point can increase the expression of mesenchymal Cajal cells, which helps restore colonic smooth muscle atrophy in rats with slow-transmitting constipation.…”

Electroacupuncture at ST 36 ameliorates cognitive impairment and beta-amyloid pathology by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in an Alzheimer’s disease animal model

“…Only NSAIDs, which target volume-regulated anion channels, have shown good results [ 59 ]. Moreover, EA inhibits activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome through several different pathways, including the microRNA, NF-κB/NLRP3, ATP/P2X7R/NLRP3, and ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathways, which are related to reducing the inflammatory response [ 60 ]. In our study, EA at ST 36 significantly inhibited activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the hippocampus of 5×FAD mice, which may be directly related to its ability to reduce the proliferation and activation of microglia.…”

The absence of thioredoxin-interacting protein in alveolar cells exacerbates asthma during obesity

“…The function of TXNIP is complex and can induce both beneficial and detrimental effects under various conditions. TXNIP plays an essential role in maintaining metabolism by activating inflammatory signals in response to stimuli, such as ROS [ 12 , 13 ]. In addition, several studies have shown that TXNIP plays protective and anti-inflammatory roles [ 14 , 15 ].…”