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Published on: September 1, 2023
Electroacupuncture regulates the DREAM/NF-κB signalling pathway and ameliorates cyclophosphamide-induced
Zhihua Huang1, Zhiping Hu1, Juan Ouyang1
1Institute for Medical Sciences of Pain, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Background:
Immune responses inhibit invasion by pathogens and antigens. Thus, it is important to promote the immune response in immunosuppressed patients.
Objective:
To examine whether electroacupuncture (EA) promotes the immune response by regulating the downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator / nuclear factor kappa B (DREAM/NF-κB) signalling pathway in a mouse model of cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced immunosuppression, and determine the most effective frequency.
Methods:
Twenty-four Kunming mice were intraperitoneally injected with CP to establish an immunosuppression model and six mice were injected with the same volume of normal saline as a control. The 24 mice were randomly divided into four groups: manual acupuncture, 2 Hz EA treatment, 100 Hz EA treatment and alternating 2/100 Hz EA treatment. After EA treatment for 3 days, immune response, natural killer (NK) cell toxicity and the expression of cytokines and DREAM/NF-κB were assessed.
Results:
EA treatment, especially at alternating 2/100 Hz frequency, improved spleen and thymus indices, increased lactate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase levels, promoted concanavalin A- and lipopolysaccharide-induced splenocyte proliferation, increased NK cell toxicity and ameliorated CP-induced immunosuppression in mice. Additionally, 2/100 Hz EA treatment increased interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-12, tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ levels and decreased IL-10 levels in CP-induced immunosuppressed mice. Finally, it was found that 2/100 Hz EA treatment increased p-IκBα and NF-κB expression and decreased DREAM and IκBα expression, suggesting that this treatment activates the NF-κB signalling pathway.
Conclusion:
2/100 Hz EA treatment might be an effective way to enhance immune responses in CP-induced immunosuppressed mice.
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