Effect of Xuanfei Tongqiao acupuncture on nasal inflammation in rats with allergic rhinitis: modulation of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 methylation modification.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of Xuanfei Tongqiao acupuncture on nasal inflammation in rats with allergic rhinitis (AR) and its underlying mechanisms, particularly focusing on the role of acupuncture in regulating the methylation of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (lncRNA GAS5).

METHODS

Interventions involved acupuncture or short hairpin RNA-GAS5 (sh-GAS5) lentivirus in an ovalbumin-induced AR rat model. Nasal mucosal tissues were collected post-intervention for pathological analysis. Parameters assessed included the proportion of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), the expression of GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3), methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), interleukin (IL)-33 proteins, and the expression of METTL3 and lncRNA-GAS5.

RESULTS

Xuanfei Tongqiao acupuncture and/or lentivirus sh-GAS5 significantly alleviated rhinitis symptoms and reduced nasal inflammation in AR rats. This was evidenced by a reduction in inflammatory cells, eosinophils, and cuprocytes in nasal mucosal tissues, along with a decreased proportion of ILC2s. Furthermore, protein levels of GATA3, METTL3, and IL-33, as well as the expression of METTL3 and lncRNA-GAS5, were significantly reduced. These findings suggest that lncRNA-GAS5 and its N6-methyladenosine methylation are key regulators of AR inflammation, with acupuncture exerting a modulatory effect on this pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Xuanfei Tongqiao acupuncture therapy inhibited the METTL3-GAS5-GATA3-IL-33-ILC2 pathway, reducing the inflammatory response and alleviating nasal symptoms in AR rats. These results suggest that Xuanfei Tongqiao acupuncture could serve as a potential alternative therapy for preventing and managing AR associated with inflammation.