Local Mechanism Of Immune Regulation By Moxibustion

Objective:To explore local action of immunological regulation by moxibusion in hypoimmunity and immunologic derangement animal model.Methods:(1)In the first part of our study,we used subac senescent rat model made by D-galactose injection as hypoimmunity subjects. After moxibustion on points from BL13 to BL23 of the Foot bladder meridian, we measured the content of serumal cortisol(CS) and the expresstion of major histocompatibility complex II(MHC-Ⅱ), Interleukin 12(IL-12), CD80, vimentin in local skin; (2) In the second part,we used adjunctive arthritis(AA) model made by Ferund's complete adjuvant(FCA) injection as immunologic derangemen subjects. After moxibusion on point ST36, we measured the changes of voix pedis' swelling and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-10 in serum to evaluate immunologic derangemen immunologic derangemen. Meanwhile, we also examine the expression of leptin and leptin acceptor in the partial skin of moxibustion, spleen, thoracic gland, hypothalamus and the content of leptin in serum to uncover the mechanism.Results:(1)The content of CS in model group is higher than that in control group with significant statistical differences(p< 0.01);While the content of CS in moxa group is lower than that in model group(p< 0.01). For the expression of MHC-II, IL-12, CD-80, vimentin in local skin, in model group, the numbers of positive cells are less and the expressional intensity is lower than those in control group(p< 0.01), but the numbers of positive cells in moxa group are more than those in model group(p< 0.01). (2) Compared with model group, voix pedis' swelling in moxa group got gradually better and better.At day 7, there was statistical difference between them (p<0.05) but significant difference come out at day 14 (p<0.01). As the content of TNF-αand IL-1β, they are more in model group than those in control group(p< 0.01). However, the content of IL-10 in model group is more markedly than that in control group, so do the moxa group(p< 0.01). For changes of leptin and leptin receptor in ST36, the numbers of positive cells and the expression in model group are less than those in control group (p< 0.01), while the numbers of positive cells in moxa group are more than that in control group. In addition, the intensity of expression of leptin and leptin receptor in ST36 in moxa group is higher than that of control group(p< 0.01). The lepten content of serum in model group is higher markedly than that in control group(p< 0.01); the leptin content in serum in moxa group is higher than that in control group(p< 0.05). For the numbers of positive cells and the expression of lepten and leptin receptor, there are no statistical significance in spleen and thoracic gland between model and control group(P>0.05); so do the moxa group. However, for leptin and leptin receptor in hypothalamus, the numbers of positive cells in model group have statistical significance compared to control group(p<0.01), the expression in model group is higher than that in control group(p<0.01), the numbers of positive cells in moxa group are more than that in model group of lepten and leptin receptor in hypothalamus, p<0.01, the expression in moxa group is stronger than that inmodel group of lepten and leptin receptor in hypothalamus, p<0.05.Conclusions:(1)Moxibustion may be activiate the expression of MHC-Ⅱ, IL-12, CD-80, vimentin in local skin to rectify hypoimmunity. (2) Moxibus-tion could enhance the expression of lepten and leptin receptor to adjust immunologic derangemen in AA model. (3) NICS,which is composed of local immune and neural immune system, would be a novel regulation tagert for moxibustion.