Role of Mast Cells in Acupuncture Effect: A Pilot Study

Zhang, Di; Ding, Guanxiong; Shen, Xueyong; Yao, Wei; Zhang, Zhiying; Zhang, Yuqing; Lin, Jun; Gu, Qin

doi:10.1016/j.explore.2008.02.002

Cited by 121 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Notably, blocking MC degranulation by disodium chromoglycate abolished the analgesic effects of DN [106]. Also, the degranulation of MCs further emphasizes the importance of needle manipulation.…”

Section: The Effect Of Dry Needling Mechanotransduction On Mast Cellsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms of Pain and Dry Needling Mediated Analgesia: A Clinical Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals

Butts¹,

Dunning²

2016

Int J Phys Med Rehabil

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There are a number of biochemical, biomechanical, endocrinological and neurovascular mechanisms underpinning the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of dry needling (DN). While myofascial trigger points likely play a role in peripheral pain, a diagnostic tool for localizing them has not been validated, and DN studies that have targeted trigger points to elicit localized twitch responses have reported mixed results. Therefore, the mechanism responsible for DN-mediated analgesia may be more complicated. DN activates opioid-based pain reduction, mediated by endogenous cannabinoids and the sympathetic nervous system, and non-opioid pain relief via serotonin and norepinephrine from the brain stem. DN also triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis centrally and the corticotropin releasing hormone-proopiomelanocortin-corticosteroid axis locally to inhibit cox-2, reducing inflammatory cytokines. Recent studies demonstrate that DN combined with mechanical and/or electrical stimulation may reverse PKC-mediated peripheral hyperalgesic priming by normalizing nociceptive channels, to include TRPV, ASIC, TTX and P2X/Y. Electrical DN (EDN) stimulates immune cells, fibroblasts and keratinocytes to release CGRP and substance-P, altering the stimulation of TTX receptors to reverse hyperalgesia. It also encourages the supraoptic nucleus to release oxytocin to quiet ASIC receptors peripherally and stimulate opioid interneurons spinally. Moreover, EDN inhibits ERK1/2 kinase pathways of inflammation in the spinal cord and stimulates Aδ fibers and N/OFQ to reverse C-fiber mediated central changes. Mechanotransduction of fibroblasts and peripheral nerves via TRPV1 and P2X/Y-mediated intracellular Ca 2+ wave propagation and subsequent activation of the nucleus accumbens inhibits spinal pain transmission via glycinergic and opioidergic interneurons. The increased ATP is metabolized to adenosine, which activates P1 purinergic receptors, events considered key to DN analgesia and rho kinase-based tissue remodeling. Mechanotransduction-mediated release of histamine further explains analgesia secondary to needling points distal to pain. DN-mediated analgesia is dependent on a number of synergistic physiologic events involving biochemical and mechanical processes in neural, connective and muscle tissue.

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Section: The Effect Of Dry Needling Mechanotransduction On Mast Cellsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms of Pain and Dry Needling Mediated Analgesia: A Clinical Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals

Butts¹,

Dunning²

2016

Int J Phys Med Rehabil

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“…Nevertheless, mechanotransduction corresponds to the most studied operating mode, experimentally or numerically. Needle manipulation in acupuncture can cause degranulation of mastocytes upon exposure to mechanical stress [7][8][9].…”

Section: Acupointmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Biological Model of Acupuncture and its Derived Mathematical Modeling and Simulations

Thiriet

Deleuze

Sheu

2015

Commun. Comput. Phys.

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Abstract. (Aims) Acupuncture was employed since 2 millenaries, but the underlying mechanisms are not globally handled. The present study is aimed at proposing an explanation by pointing out involved processes and a convincing modeling to demonstrate its efficiency when carried out by trained practitioners. (Method) In the absence of global knowledge of any mechanism explaining the acupuncture process, a biological model is first developed, based on stimulation in a given domain around the needle tip of a proper mastocyte population by a mechanical stress, electrical, electromagnetic, or heat field. Whatever the type of mechanical or physical stimuli, mastocytes degranulate. Released messengers either facilitate the transfer of main mediators, or target their cognate receptors of local nerve terminals or after being conveyed by blood their receptors on cerebral cells. Signaling to the brain is fast by nervous impulses and delayed by circulating messengers that nevertheless distribute preferentially in the brain region of interest due to hyperemia. The process is self-sustained due to mastocyte chemotaxis from the nearby dense microcirculatory circuit and surrounding mastocyte pools, which are inadequate for acupuncture, but serve as a signal relay. A simple mathematical model is solved analytically. Numerical simulations are also carried out using the finite element method with mesh adaptivity. (Results) The analytical solution of the simple mathematical model demonstrates the conditions filled by a mastocyte population to operate efficiently. A theorem gives the blow-up condition. This analytical solution serves for validation of numerical experiments. Numerical simulations show that when the needle is positioned in the periphery of the acupoint or outside it, the response is too weak. This explains why a long training is necessary as the needle implantation requires a precision with a magnitude of the order of 1 mm. (Conclusion) The acupoint must contain a highly concentrated population of mastocytes (e.g., very-high-amplitude, small-width Gaussian distribution) to get an initial proper response. Permanent signaling is provided by chemotaxis and continuous recruitment of mastocytes. Therefore, the density and distribution of mastocytes are crucial factors for efficient acupuncture as well as availability of circulating and neighboring pools of mastocytes. AMS subject classifications: 76M10, 92C10, 92C17, 92C50

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“…A trial showed a 55% increase in mast-cell density at common acupuncture points; however, it is still not clear what purpose the cells would serve if they were involved in the needling effects. 23 Other researchers have shown that cytoskeletal rearrangement has been linked to cellular migration and protein synthesis. 5 Furthermore, mechanical stress has been shown to alter gene expression in affected cells.…”

Section: Cellular Responsementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research suggests that some mast cells might react to acupuncture needling via degranulation-the cellular process of releasing secretory vesicles outside of the cell. 23 Mast cells are known for secreting histamine via this process, among other things. Moreover, when the researchers added disodium chromoglycate-a solution that inhibits the degranulation process of the mast cells-there was a profound decrease in the analgesic effect of acupuncture.…”

Section: The Role Of Mast Cells In Acupuncture Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cellular Reorganization Plays a Vital Role in Acupuncture Analgesia

Liddle

Harris

2018

Medical Acupuncture

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Background: Acupuncture has a long history of relieving many forms of pain. However, many of acupuncture's mechanisms are still unknown and/or misunderstood. Objective: This review looks at past research on many different methods and targets of study related to acupuncture. The main focus is upon the importance of connective-tissue planes in and around acupuncture points. Method: Relevant articles from journals as well as books on the topic were searched manually for information related to the topic. Results: Various studies offered different (and sometimes interrelated) mechanisms for how acupuncture needling results in analgesia among other effects. Emerging evidence, however, has shown the increasing importance of extracellular matrix rearrangements that result in lower mechanical stress states of surrounding tissues. This leads to lower constant stimulation of regional mechanoreceptors, in turn, reducing chronic pain and discomfort. Conclusions: The extracellular matrix has emerged as an important area of study on the effects of acupuncture needling.

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Role of Mast Cells in Acupuncture Effect: A Pilot Study

Cited by 121 publications

References 20 publications

Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms of Pain and Dry Needling Mediated Analgesia: A Clinical Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals

Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms of Pain and Dry Needling Mediated Analgesia: A Clinical Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals

A Biological Model of Acupuncture and its Derived Mathematical Modeling and Simulations

Cellular Reorganization Plays a Vital Role in Acupuncture Analgesia

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