Examining the Effector Mechanisms of the Feishu Acupoint (BL13) in the Treatment of Pneumonia Based on Systematic Acupuncture and Moxibustion Research

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a serious global health problem. In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture or moxibustion is used to directly stimulate select acupoints on the surface of the human body and produce physical stimulation to further stimulate regulatory functions in the body, strengthening bodily resistance, eliminating disease, and adjusting the viscera. However, this Chinese medicine knowledge does not include the specific mechanisms of action or targets of acupoints. Therefore, an in-depth research is needed. METHODS: An acupoint-element database was constructed, and the target elements of the Feishu point were screened. The UniProt-Swiss-Prot sublibrary was used to obtain correct gene name information. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and GEO2R were used to analyze differentially expressed genes in pneumonia. The STRING database was used to analyze interactions, construct a network of the Feishu point efficacy system in pneumonia, and elucidate the mechanisms of action. RESULTS: The Feishu point comprises 34 elements in total. The protein interaction analysis has 38 nodes and 115 edges. The Feishu point efficacy system-pneumonia system network shows that cytokine signaling in the immune system, signaling by interleukins (ILs), IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, and the immune system may be related to immunity and inflammation. The Feishu point efficacy system regulating pneumonia showed that FCER2, IL4R, FASLG, TGFB1, IL6R, STAT6, IL1B, CASP3, IL5RA, IL2RB, MYD88, SQSTM1, IL12RB1, IFNGR1, ADAM17, and CDH1 are the main targets. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of systematic acupuncture and moxibustion, the Feishu point regulates cytokine signaling in the immune system, signaling by ILs, IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, and the immune system by targeting FCER2, IL4R, FASLG, TGFB1, IL6R, STAT6, IL1B, CASP3, IL5RA, IL2RB, MYD88, SQSTM1, IL12RB1, IFNGR1, ADAM17, and CDH1, thereby regulating pneumonia.