Neuroimmunomodulatory effects of acupuncture in mice.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of acupuncture on the immunological response. The induction of anti-sheep red blood cells (SRBC) plaque-forming cells (PFC) was used as a measurement of the immune response to treatment. In normal non-immunized mice, enhancement of PFC was seen after a single acupuncture treatment when spleen cells from stimulated mice were cultured with SRBC in vitro. After 3 acupuncture treatments, spleen cells from mice did not show PFC enhancement after treatment with anti-Thy-1.2 antibody and complement, nor after the removal of non-adherent cells. Serum obtained from mice 1 h after acupuncture stimulation enhanced the PFC of normal spleen cells in vitro, but the enhancement was abolished by the addition of propranolol. These results suggest that acupuncture, by activation of the autonomic nervous system, modulates the immune response.