Impact of Electroacupuncture on the Expression Profile of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in a Rat Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Based on Transcriptome Sequencing and Bioinformatics Analysis

Purpose: Given that electroacupuncture (EA) is a promising yet mechanistically unclear intervention for IBS, and considering the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)'s crucial role in visceral pain and emotion within the gut-brain axis, this study aims to investigate the transcriptomic alterations in the ACC of a rat IBS model and to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of EA administered at the acupoints Tianshu (ST25) and Zusanli (ST36). Methods: Rats subjected to water avoidance stress (WAS) were evaluated for IBS symptoms, including increased anxiety-like behavior, abnormal abdominal muscle activity, and elevated abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores-a validated measure of visceral hypersensitivity. The effect of EA at ST25 and ST36 was assessed on these symptoms, and the transcriptomic profile of the ACC was analyzed after WAS and EA treatment using RNA sequencing and subsequent validation by real-time PCR. Results: The stress model induced significant IBS-like symptoms, including visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behavior. EA at ST25 and ST36 significantly ameliorated these behavioral and physiological deficits. Notably, transcriptomic profiling of the ACC linked this behavioral improvement to central modulation, revealing dysregulation of 3 key genes involved in many pathways. RT-PCR validated the expression changes in 3 selected candidate genes, further supporting their role in EA's therapeutic effects. Conclusion: EA alleviates IBS symptoms in rats, potentially through transcriptomic reprogramming in the ACC, which provides novel mechanistic insight into how peripheral acupuncture may exert central actions to treat IBS.