The role of the sympathetic nervous system in moxibustion-induced immunomodulation in rats.
The effects of chemical sympathectomy on moxibustion-induced changes in splenic natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, T and B cell proliferation were studied. Direct moxibustion was applied to the unilateral Zusanli region. NK cell cytotoxicity was suppressed by moxibustion in both vehicle-treated rats and sympathectomized rats. T cell proliferation was not affected by moxibustion. B cell proliferation showed no significant change in vehicle-treated rats, but an increase was seen in sympathectomized rats treated with moxibustion. Sympathectomy alone induced an augmentation of NK cell cytotoxicity and a suppression of T cell proliferation. These results suggest that the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) has no significant role in the mechanism of moxibustion-induced immunomodulation.
Han
Jae Bok
JB
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung-Hee University, #1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, 130-701, Seoul, South Korea.
Oh
Sang-Duck
SD
Lee
Ki-Seok
KS
Choi
Ki-Soon
KS
Cho
Young-Wuk
YW
Ahn
Hyun -ong
H-
Bae
Hyunsu
H
Min
Byung-Il
BI
D000818:Animals; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000379:methods*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D016627:Oxidopamine