[The effects of pituitory-adrenal system in the EA-modulating immune responses]

The aim of this work was to investigate the role of pituitory-adrenal system in the electroacupuncture modulating immune responses. We found that the multiple immune responses were declined in mice receiving cortisol ip. treatment, whereas it could be increased in mice of adrenalectomy. The IL-2, LTT contents declined by cortisol could be restored to normal levels by EA, however, the hemolytic antibody and hemoagglutinating antibody titer declined by cortisol were not affected by EA. In the adrenalectomized mice, except spleen LZM was declined, all the other immune parameters such as spleen PFC, IL-2, LTT, serum IgG and thymus LZM contents were increased. The EA could restore the declined spleen LZM in adrenalectomized mice to normal, but the other elevated immune parameters by adrenalectomy were not affected by EA, the immune levels were almost the same as that in the single adrenalectomy group. The above results indicate that pituitory-adrenal system may principally play an inhibitory effect in hte EA-modulating immune responses.