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. 2011:2011:424092.
doi: 10.1155/2011/424092. Epub 2011 Jun 9.

Damage of splenic T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation and its normalization by electroacupuncture in morphine-dependent mice mode

Hong-Yu Li  1 , Rong Zhang, Cai-Lian Cui, Ji-Sheng Han, Liu-Zhen Wu
Affiliations

Damage of splenic T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation and its normalization by electroacupuncture in morphine-dependent mice mode

Hong-Yu Li et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011.

Abstract

In a previous paper we reported that electroacupuncture (EA) could suppress opioid withdrawal syndrome and increase the appetite, sleep, and body weight in heroin addicts or morphine dependent animals. Considering that opioids were known to inhibit immune function, the present study was designed to observe whether EA could modulate the immune status of morphine dependent and withdrawal mice. We found that chronic morphine-induced decrease of splenic T lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production can be significantly raised by 2 Hz EA, and the fluctuation of CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio was also run to the baseline level by the EA. These findings indicated that chronic morphine exposure-induced immune dysfunction in mice could be normalized by 2 Hz EA.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experimental protocol. Forty mice were divided into two groups (saline and morphine) randomly. Thirty-two of them were injected with morphine with increasing dosage, and 8 mice were treated with saline in exactly the same manner. The morphine treated mice were further randomly divided into four groups: morphine control (MOR), morphine withdrawal (MOR NW), morphine plus restraint (Restraint), and morphine plus EA treatment (MOR+EA). n = 8 per group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The effect of 2Hz electroacupuncture on the splenic T lymphocyte proliferation in morphine dependent and withdrawal mice. Data were shown as means ± S.E. and analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls posttest. ***P < .001 versus NS group; # P < .05, ## P < .01, ### P < .001 versus MOR group; ▴▴▴ P < .001 versus MOR NW and restraint group. n = 6–8.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The effect of 2 Hz electroacupuncture on the Con A stimulated production of IL-2 in the supernatants of splenic T lymphocyte in morphine dependent and withdrawal mice. Data were shown as means ± S.E., analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls posttest. ***P < .001 versus NS group; ## P < .01 versus MOR NW group; ▴▴▴ P < .001 versus MOR and restraint group. n = 6–8.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The effect of 2 Hz electroacupuncture on the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ of splenic T lymphocyte in morphine dependent and withdrawal mice. Data were shown as means ± S.E, and analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls posttest. ***P < .001 versus NS group; ### P < .001 versus MOR group; ▴▴▴ P < .001 versus MOR NW and restraint group. n = 6–8.
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