Electroacupuncture at the ST36 acupoint increases interleukin-4 responsiveness in macrophages, generation of alternatively activated macrophages and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection

Abstract

BackgroundElectroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat inflammatory diseases. Alternatively activated macrophages (AAMo) stimulated by cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-13 are anti-inflammatory and mildly microbicidal. This study aimed to evaluate whether EA at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) would change the profile of healthy murine macrophages, particularly the generation of AAMo and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection.MethodsBALB/c mice were treated with EA (15/30 Hz) at the ST36 acupoint for 20 min/d for 5 d. After the final EA session, the mice were euthanized and their peritoneal cells were harvested and counted for determination of arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) production and microbicidal activity after culture in the presence or absence of IL-4, interferon-γ (IFNγ) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or both IFNγ and LPS. Twelve mice were infected with L. major promastigotes into the footpads after the final EA session and the infection course was monitored.ResultsPeritoneal cells freshly obtained from EA-treated mice had similar arginase and microbicidal activities to cells from sham-treated mice. After culture with IL-4, cells from EA-treated mice exhibited significant increases in the arginase activity (sham: 58 ± 11.3 vs. EA: 80.7 ± 4.6%, P = 0.025) and number of parasites/infected cell (sham: 2.5 ± 0.4 vs. EA: 4.3 ± 0.8 cells, P = 0.007). The NO production was lower in cells from EA-treated mice cultured in the presence of a combination of IFNγ and LPS (sham: 31.6 ± 6.5 vs. EA: 22.3 ± 2.1 μM, P = 0.025). The lesion size in mice infected with L. major promastigotes was larger in EA-treated mice (sham: 3.26 ± 0.29 vs. EA: 2.23 ± 0.4 mm, P = 0.039).ConclusionEA at the ST36 acupoint increases IL-4 responsiveness in macrophages, Generation of AAMo and susceptibility to L. major infection

Electroacupuncture at ST‐36 Protects Interstitial Cells of Cajal via Sustaining Heme Oxygenase‐1 Positive M2 Macrophages in the Stomach of Diabetic Mice

“…The balance of Arg-1 and iNOS was suggested to reflect the balance of M1 and M2 macrophages [ 24 ]. Aguiar et al reported that EA at ST36 with low frequency has the capacity of generating M2 macrophages in a Leishmania infected model [ 25 ]. But few studies investigating macrophage changes can be found in the diabetic model treated with EA.…”

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture at ST36 Point: A Literature Review in Animal Studies

“…The study that used BALB/c mice cultured with IL-4 revealed that EA at ST36 increased urea production, arginase activity, number of parasite-infected macrophages in peritoneal cells, and IL-4 receptor expression in peritoneal macrophages but decreased NO production in peritoneal cells. This finding demonstrates that ST36 EA induces the generation of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMo), which are anti-inflammatory macrophages stimulated by IL-4 cytokines, through increasing IL-4 responsiveness ( 74 ).…”

Electroacupuncture in Rats Infected with Strongyloides venezuelensis: effects on gastrointestinal transit and parasitological measurements

“…44 In vitro analysis showed that EA at ST36 increased susceptibility to this parasite. 45 However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of acupuncture at CV12 on immune function, which contributes to our lack of knowledge concerning such effects.…”