Effects of Acupuncture on 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis

Acupoint Autohemotherapy Attenuates DNCB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis and Activates Regulatory T Cells in BALB/c Mice

Purpose

Acupoint autohemotherapy (A-AHT) has been proposed as an alternative and complementary treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), yet the exact role of its blood component in terms of therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action is still largely unknown.

Methods

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacies and action mechanisms of intramuscular injections of autologous whole blood (AWB) and mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) (autologous or heterologous) at acupoints on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mouse models. Serum levels of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), IgG, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were measured, as well as mRNA expression levels of Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3), IL-10 and IFN-γ in dorsal skin lesions, and IL-10+, IFN-γ+ and FoxP3+CD4+T cells in murine spleen.

Results

It showed that repeated acupoint injection of AWB, autologous total IgG (purified from autologous blood in AD mice) or heterologous total IgG (purified from healthy blood in normal mice) effectively reduced the severity of AD symptoms and decreased epidermal and dermal thickness as well as mast cells in skin lesions. Additionally, AWB acupoint injection was found to upregulate FoxP3+, IL-10+ and IFN-γ+ CD4+T cells in murine spleen, suppressing the production of IgE antibodies and increasing that of IgG antibodies in the serum. Furthermore, both AWB and autologous total IgG administrations significantly elevated FoxP3 expression, mRNA levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in dorsal skin lesions. However, acupoint injection of heterologous total IgG had no effect on regulatory T (Treg) and Th1 cells modulation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the therapeutic effects of A-AHT on AD are mediated by IgG-induced activation of Treg cells.

Crosstalk between Acupuncture and NF-κB in Inflammatory Diseases

Acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years and concerned as a typical alternative medicine in inflammatory diseases nowadays. The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factor is an important regulator of inflammation. In this article, we discuss the role of acupuncture in NF-κB pathways and also present the acupoints selection, acupuncture administration, and related inflammation diseases and models from previous studies to bring readers close to a more complete understanding of the mechanisms between acupuncture and NF-κB in inflammatory diseases.

Preliminary Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Needle-Embedding Therapy with Acupuncture for Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Objectives

Among Traditional Korean Medicine approaches, needle-embedding therapy is used in various fields and consistently studied; however, there have been no clinical studies of the treatment of adult atopic dermatitis (AD) with needle-embedding therapy. Thus, there is a need to investigate the effects of needle-embedding therapy for treatment of AD. This study was performed to identify possible effects of needle-embedding therapy at Quchi acupoint (LI11) on AD and to compare these effects with those of acupuncture therapy.

Methods

A total of 14 participants were enrolled in this study. Participants received acupuncture or needle-embedding treatments for 4 weeks and then were followed for an additional 2 weeks because of safety assessment. The participants were divided into 2 groups: the acupuncture group, receiving treatment at Quchi acupoint (LI11) 3 times per week, and the needle-embedding group, receiving treatment at Quchi acupoint (LI11) once per week. The groups were compared on the basis of the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index, Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL), skin hydration, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at baseline and 1 week after treatment was completed (5th week).

Results

The SCORAD index, TEWL, Skin hydration, and DLQI at 1 week after treatment were significantly improved in both groups (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the acupuncture and needle-embedding groups in any of the main evaluation indices (p>0.05). The study participants received a total of 84 acupuncture treatments or 28 needle-embedding treatments. No adverse events occurred during the study period.

Conclusions

Based on changes in the SCORAD index, TEWL, skin hydration, and DLQI value, we found that both needle-embedding and acupuncture treatments at the Quchi acupoint (LI11) were effective in decreasing the symptoms of AD and exhibited similar therapeutic effects, which suggests that needle-embedding treatment may be more clinically convenient than acupuncture, with longer effects and fewer treatments.

Genetic Predictors of Response to Acupuncture for Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgia Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Objective

To evaluate the associations between polymorphisms in two genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase and T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 1 A, and acupuncture-mediated pain reduction among breast cancer survivors with aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia.

Design, Setting, and Subjects

Biospecimens were obtained from 38 patients enrolled in a clinical trial of acupuncture for aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia in postmenopausal hormone receptor-positive breast cancer survivors.

Methods

We used polymerase chain reaction to genotype the rs4680 (Val158Met) and rs4633 (His62His) variants in the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene and rs2369049 (A > G) and rs7158782 (A > G) variants in the T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 1 A gene. Response to acupuncture was defined by 30% reduction in end-of-treatment average pain, measured by the Brief Pain Inventory. We used Fisher exact tests to evaluate associations between genotype and treatment response.

Results

Among participants, all six (15.8%) subjects who expressed AA in locus rs4680 responded to acupuncture. In a combined analysis, the 18 (47.4%) subjects with the responder genotype at either rs4680 (AA) or rs2369049 (GG or AG) were significantly more likely to respond to acupuncture than those without (77.8% vs 45.0%, P = 0.039).

Conclusions

Specific genetic variations at loci rs4680 and rs2369049 are associated with response to acupuncture-type intervention for management of arthralgia. These results serve as a proof of concept for applying a precision medicine framework to the study of cancer pain management.

Electro-Acupuncture at Zusanli Acupoint (ST36) Suppresses Inflammation in Allergic Contact Dermatitis Via Triggering Local IL-10 Production and Inhibiting p38 MAPK Activation

Acupuncture has shown beneficial effect in the treatment of multiple dermatologic conditions including dermatitis, pruritus, urticaria, and hyperhidrosis; however, the detailed mechanisms are still kept unclear. This study aimed to investigate if electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment prevents 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in rats and explore its underlying mechanisms. ACD was induced by sensitizing and challenging with DNFB topically. Rats were treated daily following bilateral subcutaneous stimulation of EA at Zusanli acupoint (ST36) for 1 week. Ear swelling and serum IgE levels were measured. The ear biopsies were obtained for histology. Inflammatory cytokines on the dermatological ear and local acupoint tissue were assayed. Spleen lymphocytes and the homogenized supernatant of local acupuncture area were used to co-culture for flow cytology and immune analysis, respectively. EA treatment at ST36 notably inhibited ear swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration on DNFB-induced ACD. EA also decreased serum IgE concentrations and alleviated the production of inflammatory cytokines in dermatological ear. Additionally, EA treatment attenuated the percentage of CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺ and CD4⁺IL-4⁺ T cells associated with ACD. Interestingly, secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 in the local acupoint tissue following EA stimulation was increased and showed suppressive function when co-cultured with the spleen lymphocytes from DNFB group. Lastly, EA treatment demonstrably suppressed p38 MAPK activation in DNFB-treated rats. Our findings suggest that EA treatment at ST36 may ameliorate inflammation associated with DNFB-induced ACD via triggering local IL-10 production and inhibiting p38 MAPK activation, which provide an alternative and promising therapy for ACD.

Electro-acupuncture at Acupoint ST36 Ameliorates Inflammation and Regulates Th1/Th2 Balance in Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity

Increasing evidence indicates anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) therapy. However, its underlying mechanism on delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), a classic allergic inflammatory disease, still remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the immunomodulatory mechanism of EA intervention in a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced DTH. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control, OVA-DTH, DTH + EA, DTH + Sham. "Zusanli" acupoint (ST36) was used for DTH + EA, whereas a non-acupoint (localized 5 mm below the "Zusanli" acupoint) was selected for DTH + Sham. Footpad thickness was checked, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was estimated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Levels of IgG and IgE in serum of different groups and inflammatory cytokines in the supernatants from homogenized footpads, including IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-5, were determined by ELISA. Cell proliferation of spleen lymphocytes was assayed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT). The frequency of CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺ and CD4⁺IL-4⁺ T cells was analyzed with flow cytometry. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression of T-bet and GATA-3 were evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Our data showed EA treatment at acupoint ST36 relieved the pathological progression of DTH responses via reduction in footpad swelling, infiltration of inflammatory cells, levels of IgG and IgE as well as decreased production of IFN-γ and TNF-α in homogenized footpad tissue. Moreover, detailed studies were performed revealing that EA attenuated the percentage of CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺ T cells and prevented Th cells differentiation into Th1 cells, and this results from inhibiting secretion of IFN-γ and suppressing expression of T-bet, an IFN-γ transcription factor. The results indicated that EA treatment improved Th1-mediated allergic skin inflammation via restoring Th1/Th2 balance by curbing Th1 differentiation. These findings suggested that EA at acupoint ST36 might be a useful and promising therapeutic for allergic inflammatory as well as Th1-mediated inflammation response.

Changes in small intestinal motility and related hormones by acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) in mice

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the effects of acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) on the hormonal changes.

METHODS

Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice received acupuncture stimulation at acupoint ST 36 or Quchi (LI 11) once a day for 3 or 5 days in the acupuncture-stimulated groups, but not received in the normal group (n=6 in each group). On day 3 or 5, animals were given 0.1 mL of charcoal orally with a bulbed steel needle, 30 min after the last acupuncture stimulation. Ten minutes later, mice were anesthetized, and the intestinal transit and the concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin, ghrelin and gastrin in the serum were measured.

RESULTS

Compared to no acupuncture stimulation, acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days increased the intestinal transit and down-regulated the concentration of VIP and up-regulated the concentrations of motilin, ghrelin and gastrin (P<0.05 or 0.01), whereas acupuncture stimulation at LI 11 did not change them signifificantly (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days enhances the small intestinal motility and regulates the secretion of hormones related to small intestinal motility.

Traditional herbal formula Jakyakgamcho-tang (Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis) impairs inflammatory chemokine production by inhibiting activation of STAT1 and NF-κB in HaCaT cells

A traditional herbal formula Jakyakgamcho-tang (JYGCT; Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis) has been used for treatment of backache, muscle pain, acute abdominal pain, neuralgia, bronchial asthma, and painful peripheral neuropathy in Oriental medicine. We report on our experiments using the HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line showing that a traditional herbal formula JYGCT has inhibitory effects on inflammatory responses in skin. Stimulation with tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) caused a significant increase in the production of the following chemokines: thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17; macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC)/CCL22; regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)/CCL5; and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in HaCaT cells. By contrast, treatment with JYGCT extract significantly reduced the production of TARC, MDC, RANTES, and IL-8, but caused no cytotoxicity, compared with TNF-α and IFN-γ-treated control cells. Consistently, JYGCT extract downregulated the mRNA expression of TARC, MDC, RANTES, and IL-8 induced by TNF-α and IFN-γ in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, TNF-α and IFN-γ markedly increased the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in HaCaT cells. By contrast, TNF-α and IFN-γ-induced activation of STAT1 and NF-κB activation was inhibited by JYGCT treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Our data indicate that JYGCT attenuates TNF-α and IFN-γ-mediated chemokine production by targeting the STAT1 and NF-κB signalling in keratinocytes. Our findings suggest that JYGCT has potential as a therapeutic drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.

Saussurea lappa alleviates inflammatory chemokine production in HaCaT cells and house dust mite-induced atopic-like dermatitis in Nc/Nga mice

Saussurea lappa is a traditional herbal medicine used for to treat various inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of S. lappa against atopic dermatitis using human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, murine mast cell line MC/9 cells, and a house dust mite-induced atopic dermatitis model of Nc/Nga mice. Treatment with the S. lappa caused a significant reduction in the mRNA levels and production of inflammatory chemokines and cytokine, including thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in tumor necrosis factor-α/interferone-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. S. lappa exhibited the significant reduction in histamine production in MC/9 cells. In the atopic dermatitis model, S. lappa significantly reduced the dermatitis score and serum IgE and TARC levels. In addition, the back skin and ears of S. lappa-treated Nc/Nga mice exhibited reduced histological manifestations of atopic skin lesions such as erosion, hyperplasia of the epidermis and dermis, and inflammatory cell infiltration. In conclusion, an extract of S. lappa effectively suppressed the development of atopic dermatitis, which was closely related to the reduction of chemokines and cytokine. Our study suggests that S. lappa may be a potential treatment for atopic dermatitis.