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Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on immunologic suppression in tumor-bearing mice

针灸对荷瘤小鼠免疫抑制效应的影响

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Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

摘要

目的

观察电针及艾灸疗法对肿瘤免疫抑制的影响。

方法

将48 只雄性Balb/c小鼠随机分为电针组、艾灸组、荷瘤组和正常组, 每组12 只。 成功建立肿瘤模型后, 电针组及艾灸组分别予以电针、艾灸大椎治疗。 治疗6 次后, 观察各组小鼠生存率、抑瘤率、脾脏指数、胸腺指数。 采用AlamarBlue法检测ConA刺激的小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖能力, 以RT-PCR法检测脾淋巴细胞Foxp3 mRNA、Stat5a mRNA、Stat5b mRNA以及胸腺Foxp3 mRNA表达。

结果

艾灸组荷瘤小鼠生存率高于荷瘤组, 但差异无统计学意义; 电针组与艾灸组荷瘤小鼠脾脏指数较荷瘤组升高(P<0.05); 电针组与艾灸组荷瘤小鼠胸腺指数较荷瘤组胸腺指数升高, 但差异无统计学意义。 电针组、艾灸组、荷瘤组小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖还原值均高于正常组 (P<0.05); 艾灸组还原值显著高于荷瘤组(P<0.05); 荷瘤组小鼠脾淋巴细胞Foxp3 mRNA、Stat5a mRNA、 Stat5b mRNA表达较正常组明显增高(P<0.05); 艾灸组、电针组小鼠脾淋巴细胞Foxp3 mRNA、Stat5a mRNA、Stat5b mRNA较荷瘤组表达降低(P<0.05); 荷瘤组小鼠胸腺Foxp3 mRNA表达较正常组增高 (P<0.05); 艾灸组小鼠胸腺Foxp3 mRNA表达较荷瘤组降低(P<0.05); 电针组小鼠胸腺Foxp3 mRNA表达较荷瘤组降低, 但差异无统计学意义。

结论

电针和艾灸干预均能提高荷瘤小鼠脾脏指数、增强小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖能力; 针灸调节肿瘤免疫抑制效应可能与下调荷瘤小鼠脾淋巴细胞Foxp3 mRNA、Stat5a mRNA、 Stat5b mRNA表达及胸腺Foxp3 mRNA表达有关。

Abstract

Objective

To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion on the immunologic suppression in tumor.

Methods

Forty-eight male Balb/c mice were randomly allocated into an EA group, a moxibustion group, a tumor-bearing group, and a normal group, 12 mice in each group. After tumor models were made, mice in the EA and moxibustion groups were treated with EA and moxibustion at Dazhui (GV 14) respectively. Survival rate, tumor inhibited rate, spleen index, and thymus gland index were observed after 6 treatments. The proliferation of spleen lymphocyte of mice stimulated by ConA was measured with AlamarBlue method, and the expression of Foxp3 mRNA, Stat5a mRNA, and Stat5b mRNA of spleen lymphocyte, and Foxp3 mRNA thymus gland lymphocyte were tested with RT-PCR.

Results

The survival rate of mice in the moxibustion group was higher than that in the tumor-bearing group without statistic difference. Spleen indexes of mice in the EA group and moxibustion group was higher than that in the tumor-bearing group (P<0.05). Thymus gland indexes of mice in the EA group and moxibustion group were higher than that in the tumor-bearing group without statistic difference. Reducing values of proliferation of spleen lymphocyte of mice in the EA, moxibustion, and tumor-bearing groups were higher than that in the normal group (P<0.05), and the value in the moxibustion group was higher than that in the tumor-bearing group (P<0.05). Expression of Foxp3 mRNA, Stat5a mRNA, and Stat5b mRNA of spleen lymphocyte were up-regulated in the tumor-bearing mice higher than that in the normal mice (P<0.05). The expressions of Foxp3 mRNA, Stat5a mRNA and Stat5b mRNA of the spleen lymphocyte were down-regulated in the EA and moxibustion groups more than that in the tumor-bearing group (P<0.05); the expression of Foxp3 mRNA was higher in thymus gland of tumor-bearing mice than that of the normal mice (P<0.05). Expression of Foxp3 mRNA in thymus gland of mice in the moxibustion group is lower than that in the tumor-bearing group (P<0.05). Expression of Foxp3 mRNA in thymus gland of mice in the EA group was lower than that in the tumor-bearing group without statistic difference.

Conclusion

EA and moxibustion could enhance the spleen index and the proliferation of spleen lymphocyte of tumor-bearing mice. The effect of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy on tumor immunologic suppression may be related to the down-regulation of expression of Foxp3 mRNA, Stat5a mRNA, and Stat5b mRNA of the spleen lymphocyte, and Foxp3 mRNA thymus gland lymphocyte.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Acupuncture Department, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China

    Hai-yan Li  (李海燕), Jian Pei  (裴建), Qin-hui Fu  (傅勤慧), Zhi-dan Liu  (刘志丹) & Lin-na Yu  (俞林娜)

  2. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing, 100043, P. R. China

    Hai-yan Li  (李海燕)

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  1. Hai-yan Li  (李海燕)
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  2. Jian Pei  (裴建)
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  3. Qin-hui Fu  (傅勤慧)
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  4. Zhi-dan Liu  (刘志丹)
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  5. Lin-na Yu  (俞林娜)
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Correspondence to Jian Pei  (裴建).

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Li, Hy., Pei, J., Fu, Qh. et al. Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on immunologic suppression in tumor-bearing mice. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 10, 1–8 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-012-0559-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-012-0559-z

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