Electroacupuncture alleviates intestinal inflammation in rats with ulcerative colitis by regulating colonic cell autophagy and gut microbiota.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on autophagy and gut microbiota homeostasis in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: UC rats received EA treatment, and efficacy was evaluated by disease activity index (DAI), colon length, serum cytokines, and histopathology. Autophagy was assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting for autophagy-related protein (ATG)5, ATG12, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), and sequestosome 1 (p62), with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/ mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway analysis. Gut microbiota composition was profiled by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, and functional relevance was confirmed by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). RESULTS: EA reduced DAI scores, preserved colon length, lowered tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and elevated IL-2 and IL-10. Colonic injury and inflammatory infiltration were alleviated, autophagy markers improved, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activity was suppressed. EA also enhanced microbiota diversity and composition, with FMT confirming its microbiota-autophagy-inflammation modulatory role. CONCLUSION: EA alleviates UC by promoting colonic epithelial autophagy through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibition and restoring gut microbiota balance, offering a promising therapeutic strategy.