Electroacupuncture and moxibustion influence the lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production by macrophages

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the modifying effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (Mox) through the communication networks of the neuroimmune system using the two-step bacterial stimulation method. When EA or Mox treatment was implemented immediately following injection of the Streptococcus pyogenes preparation OK-432, a significant suppression of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha production by the peritoneal macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS 1 microg/ml) was observed. When the stimulation with EA or Mox was reduced in volume, the degree of suppression decreased correspondingly. Naloxone antagonized to some extent the suppression of TNFalpha induced by EA, but did not compete with the suppression of TNFalpha release induced by Mox. These results suggest that activated macrophages are an important target of the immuno-suppressive effects of EA and Mox and that mu-opioid receptor-mediated mechanisms are responsible, to some extent, for the suppressive effect of EA, although Mox may not be dependent on these mechanisms.