Inhibitory effect of electroacupuncture on murine collagen arthritis and its possible mechanisms.
The influence of electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medical treatment, on type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was examined in DBA/IJ mice in vivo. Mice were immunized intradermally twice at a 3-week interval with bovine type II collagen (C II). EA stimulation, begun on day 21 simultaneously with the second immunization, was applied at the acupoint equivalent to GV4 three times a week for 3 weeks. The results showed that EA delayed the onset, attenuated the severity of arthritis, and reduced the anti-collagen antibody level. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of EA on the productions of endogenous interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the levels of IL-1 beta mRNA in splenocytes and synovial tissues from C II immunized mice on day 45 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages of normal mice by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). EA stimulation significantly inhibited the concentrations of splenic endogenous IL-1 beta and serum PGE2. The expression of IL-1 beta mRNA in spleen cells was obviously down-regulated and that in synovial tissues was modestly affected by EA. COX-2 mRNA was highly expressed in cultured peritoneal macrophages when stimulated with LPS. Previous treatment with EA also reduced LPS-stimulated induction of COX-2 mRNA. These data suggest that EA has an inhibitory effect on murine CIA, and the partial mechanism of its therapeutic result may be attributed to inhibiting the productions of IL-1 beta and PGE2 by suppressing the IL-beta and COX-2 gene activations.
Fang
J Q
JQ
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
Aoki
E
E
Yu
Y
Y
Sohma
T
T
Kasahara
T
T
Hisamitsu
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003094:Collagen; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D015232:Dinoprostone