The effect of acupuncture on natural killer cell activity

被引:7
作者
Hisamitsu, T [1 ]
Kasahara, T [1 ]
Umezawa, T [1 ]
Ishino, T [1 ]
Hisamitsu, N [1 ]
机构
[1] Showa Univ, Sch Med, Dept Physiol, Shinagawa Ku, Tokyo 142, Japan
来源
ACUPUNCTURE: IS THERE A PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS? | 2002年 / 1238卷
关键词
acupuncture; natural killer cell activity; interferon-gamma; beta-endorphin; ST36; acupoint;
D O I
10.1016/S0531-5131(02)00409-0
中图分类号
R [医药、卫生];
学科分类号
10 ;
摘要
Successive electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation applied to bilateral anterior tibial muscles, where Zusanli (ST36) acupoints are located, once a day (30 min) for 3 successive days significantly enhanced splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in BALB/c mice. The percentage of splenic NK cells, as measured by flow cytometry, was not affected in these mice. Interferon (IFN)-gamma level in splenic aqueous extract, prepared from the ST36 acupoint-stimulated mice, was significantly higher than that of the controls. In vivo treatment with neutralizing monoclonal antibody against mouse IFN-gamma completely abrogated the increase in splenic NK cell activity induced by ST36 acupoint stimulation. The same stimulation also significantly increased the concentration of splenic beta-endorphin, which coincided with a significant increase in splenic IFN-gamma production. Pre-administration of 10 mg/kg naloxone before initiation of EA stimulation every day reduced the enhancement of NK cell activity and IFN-gamma level. These observations strongly suggest that endogenous IFN-gamma mediates the beta-upregulation of NK cell activity by EA stimulation at the ST36 acupoints. Furthermore, endogenous beta-endorphin secreted by EA stimulation also plays an important role in the up-regulation of NK cell, function, which may be realized through regulating IFN-gamma production. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
引用
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页码:125 / 131
页数:7
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