title: [Effects of moxibustion on the expression of IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6 mRNA and protein in the cerebral cortex in tumor-bearing mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of moxibustion on the expression of IL-1beta, IL-2 and IL-6 proteins and mRNA in the cerebral cortex in tumor-bearing mice so as to study its mechanism underlying immunomodulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into control, tumor-bearing, non-acupoint moxibustion (N-AM) and acupoint-moxibustion (AM) groups (n = 10/group). Moxibustion was applied to "Dazhui" (GV 14), once every other day for 6 times. The expression of IL-1beta mRNA, IL-2 mRNA and IL-6 mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization, and the immunoactivity of IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-2 determined by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group, the expression levels of IL-1beta mRNA and IL-2 mRNA, IL-1beta and IL-2 in the cerebral cortex of the tumor-bearing group were down-regulated significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while those of IL-6 mRNA and IL-6 up-regulated significantly (P < 0.05). Compared to the tumor-bearing group, the expression of IL-1beta mRNA and IL-2 mRNA, IL-1beta and IL-2 in the cerebral cortex in AM group were increased considerably (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); while cortical IL-6 immunoactivity in N-AM group was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and IL-6 mRNA had no significant change in N-AM group (P > 0.05). Comparison between AM and N-AM groups showed that the expression levels of cortical IL-1beta mRNA and IL-2 mRNA, and IL-1beta and IL-2 proteins of the former group were obviously higher than those of the later group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); while the immunoactivity of cortical IL-6 of AM group was significantly lower than that of N-AM group (P < 0.05). No significant difference between AM and N-AM groups in the expression of IL-6 mRNA (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moxibustion treatment can up-regulate the expression of cortical IL-1beta mRNA, IL-2 mRNA, IL-1beta and IL-2 proteins, and down-regulate the expression of IL-6 mRNA and IL-6 in tumor-bearing mice, which may contribute to its effect in improving the immunosuppressing state under tumor conditions.
authors.affiliation: Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. jianpei99@163.com
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Zhi-Dan
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Can-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Huan-Gan
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009071:Moxibustion; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger