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[Influence of acupuncture on the immune function of immunosuppressive Cx43 knockout mice]
Xiao-Hua Wu1, Guang-Ying Huang, Ya-Qin Yang
1Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Objective:
To observe the influence of acupuncture on the immune function in immunosuppressive Cx43 knockout mice so as to explore the relationship between connexin 43 (Cx43) and acupuncture signal transmission.
Methods:
Eighteen male Cx43 knockout mice (Cx43 + / -, 8-9 weeks old) and eighteen wide-type mice (Cx43 + / + ) were divided into normal group, model group and acupuncture group randomly, with 6 cases in each. The immunosuppressive mice model was established by intraperitoneal injection of Cyclophosphamide. Mice in acupuncture group were treated with manual acupuncture of "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Guanyuan" (CV 4), once daily for 7 days. Spleen index, thymus index, number of leukocytes in the peripheral blood were calculated and the percentage of T lymphocyte subpopulation was detected by using flow cytometry.
Results:
Compared with normal control group, the spleen index, thymus index and leukocyte number of model group in both Cx43 + / + mice and Cx43 + / - mice were obviously lower (P < 0.05, 0.01), while in Cx43 + / + mice and in comparison with model group, the spleen index, thymus index and leukocyte number of acupuncture group were significantly higher (P < 0.05, 0.01) and no significant differences were found between acupuncture group and control group (P > 0.05). But in Cx43 + / - mice , no obvious differences were found between acupuncture and model groups in the aforementioned 3 indexes (P > 0.05), showing a disappearance of the effect of acupuncture in raising immune function after Cx43 knockout. There were no obvious differences between two control groups and between two model groups in the 3 indexes of Cx43 + / + mice and Cx43 + / - mice. The immune function of Cx43 + / + mice was obviously stronger than that of Cx43 + / - mice in acupuncture group.
Conclusion:
Knockout of Cx43 gene inhibits the effect of acupuncture in reinforcing mouse immunity, suggesting an important role of Cx43 in the transmission of acupuncture signals for adjusting immunity function.