[Studies on regulatory effects of acupuncture on mucosal secretory IgA in patients with allergic asthma]

We studied mucosal SIgA immunity of patients with allergic asthma treated by acupuncture. Our results showed that concentrations of SIgA and total IgA in saliva (P < 0.01, < 0.02) and in nasal secretions (P < 0.02, < 0.02), and levels of IgE in sera (P < 0.001) from patients with allergic asthma were significantly decreased after treatment with acupuncture. The results suggested that attacks of delayed and immediate allergic asthma could be effectively inhibited by acupuncture. The facts that there were no significant changes in IgA in supernatants of peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with PWM of patients with allergic asthma after treated by acupuncture were associated with regulation of negative feedback of T-lymphocyte expressing IgA-R and it released bound factor of IgA in production of polymeric IgA.