Acupuncture Can Regulate the Distribution of Lymphocyte Subsets and the Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients With Mild to Moderate Vascular Dementia

Abstract

Background: Vascular dementia (VD) is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, but there is a lack of definitive treatment for VD. Acupuncture treatment is effective in improving the cognitive impairment and behavioral capacity of patients with VD. In recent years, more studies indicated that peripheral inflammation and abnormal peripheral immune function may aggravate neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. However, there are few studies about the acupuncture and the abnormal peripheral immune function of VD. Also, few studies concern the regulating effect of acupuncture on peripheral immunity of patients with VD. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the "sanjiao" acupuncture method on peripheral immunity of patients with mild to moderate VD. Methods: A total of 30 patients with VD were involved in the acupuncture group (AG), which was treated with the "sanjiao" acupuncture method once a day for six times a week and lasted for 12 weeks, and 30 healthy elderly people were assigned to the normal group (NG), which had no treatment. The distribution of lymphocyte subsets and the levels of some inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood of subjects were evaluated using the flow cytometry (FCM) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: A total of 60 subjects were involved in this study, while 58 subjects completed the entire trial. Before treatment, the levels of CD3⁺ T, CD4⁺ T cells, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, Tregs, B cells, IFN-γ, and IL-10 in patients with VD were significantly decreased compared with the normal group (all P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The level of TNF-α in peripheral blood of patients with VD was significantly increased (P < 0.01). After acupuncture treatment, the levels of CD3⁺ T, CD4⁺ T cells, and IFN-γ were significantly increased (all P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The level of TNF-α was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The proportion of Tregs was increased (P < 0.01), but it was still lower than that of the normal group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The acupuncture method can increase the proportion of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ T cells, and Tregs in peripheral blood of patients with VD. And, it reduces the levels of pro-inflammatory factor TNF-α, which achieves the anti-inflammatory effects and immunostimulation. It suggests that acupuncture can improve the peripheral immune dysfunction of patients with VD by regulating the distribution of lymphocyte subsets and the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Clinical Trial Registration: [www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR-IOR-17012052].

Keywords: ELISA; FCM; peripheral immune function; vascular dementia; “sanjiao” acupuncture method.

FIGURE 1

Research flowchart.

FIGURE 2

The flow cytometry gating strategy for TBNK. (A) Lymphocytes. (B) T lymphocytes (CD3⁺ T cells). (C) The proportion of CD4⁺ T cells (CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells). (D) The proportion of CD8⁺ T cells (CD3⁺ CD8⁺ T cells). (E) The B cells (CD3–CD19⁺ B cells). (F) The NK cells (CD3–CD16⁺ CD56⁺ NK cells).

FIGURE 3

The flow cytometry gating strategy for Treg. (A) Lymphocytes. (B) The CD4⁺ cells. (C) The Treg cells (CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ cells).

FIGURE 4

Percentage of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood. NG, normal group; AG, acupuncture group; T0, before treatment; T1, after treatment. *Compare with the healthy elderly people, P < 0.05. ^#Compare with the conditions before treatment, P < 0.05.

FIGURE 5

Comparison of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of different groups.

FIGURE 6

Cytokine concentration in peripheral blood. *Compare with the healthy elderly people, P < 0.05. ^#Compare with the conditions before treatment, P < 0.05.