An Investigation of the Mechanism of Self-Made Dangui Quyu Pill Combined with Acupuncture in Treating Mice with Adenomyosis Based on the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
LI Shida, ZHU Fangfang, ZHAI Qian, et al
Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei Cangzhou 061000, China
Abstract:Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of Dangui Quyu Pill combined with acupuncture on mice with adenomyosis (AM) through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods: An AM mouse model was established using allogeneic pituitary transplantation. Fifty female ICR mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group (normal mice), model group (induced by allogeneic pituitary transplantation), acupuncture group (acupuncture stimulation at the Sanyinjiao point), Dangui Quyu Pill group (3.25g/kg Dangui Quyu Pill administered via gastric gavage), and combined group (3.25g/kg Dangui Quyu Pill administered via gastric gavage + acupuncture stimulation at the Sanyinjiao point), with 10 mice in each group. The hot plate pain threshold test was conducted at the end of modeling and treatment to observe behavioral changes. The frequency and amplitude of uterine contractions were measured in vitro. Histopathological analysis of uterine tissues was performed using H&E staining, and pathological scores were assigned. The expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in uterine tissues were detected using ELISA kits. The protein expression levels of Wnt3a, p-GSK-3β, and p-β-catenin in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were measured using Western Blot. Results: Compared with the control group, the model group exhibited blurred endometrial and myometrial glandular structures, significant inflammatory infiltration, decreased hot plate pain threshold, and reduced levels of p-GSK-3β and p-β-catenin (P<0.05). Conversely, uterine contraction frequency and amplitude, endometrial tissue infiltration scores, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Wnt3a were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the acupuncture group and Dangui Quyu Pill group showed clearer boundaries between the endometrium and myometrium, reduced endometrial glandular infiltration, increased hot plate pain threshold, and elevated levels of p-GSK-3β and p-β-catenin (P<0.05). Additionally, uterine contraction frequency and amplitude, endometrial tissue infiltration scores, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Wnt3a were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the acupuncture group and Dangui Quyu Pill group, the combined group demonstrated further increases in the hot plate pain threshold and levels of p-GSK-3β and p-β-catenin (P<0.05), as well as further reductions in uterine contraction frequency and amplitude, endometrial tissue infiltration scores, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Wnt3a (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combination of Dangui Quyu Pill and acupuncture exhibits superior therapeutic effects on AM mice compared to either treatment alone. The underlying mechanism may involve the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
李世大, 朱芳芳, 翟倩, 陈秀英, 张士表. 基于Wnt/β-catenin通路探讨自制丹归祛瘀丸联合针灸治疗子宫腺肌病小鼠的作用机制[J]. 河北医学, 2025, 31(3): 390-395.
LI Shida, ZHU Fangfang, ZHAI Qian, et al. An Investigation of the Mechanism of Self-Made Dangui Quyu Pill Combined with Acupuncture in Treating Mice with Adenomyosis Based on the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway. HeBei Med, 2025, 31(3): 390-395.
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