Effects of electroacupuncture of "Shuanggu Yitong" prescription on the T lymphocyte subset proportions in aging rats / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture of "Shuanggu Yitong" prescription on postponing aging.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty 3-month SD rats, male only, 30 rats were made sub-acute aging model by D-galactose s.c. injection continuously for 42 d, and rest of the rats, 10, were divided into a normal control group. After the modeling, the sub-acute aging model rats were randomly into a Shuanggu Yitong group [electroacupuncture at "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), hand needle at "Baihui" (GV 20)], an acupuncture control group [electroacupuncture at "Weizhong" (BL 40) and "Shuifen" (CV 9), hand needle at "Yintang" (GV 29)] and an aging model group, ten in each one. The treatment was given once in a day, six of which made a course. The rats in the normal control group and aging model group were not received any treatment. After the treatment for three weeks, the rats were put to death and their spleen index, thymus index and the T lymphocytes subgroups (CD8(+) T/T cell and CD8(+) CD28(-) T/CD8(+) T cell) were tested.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The spleen index (1.74 +/- 0.059) and thymus index (0.64 +/- 0.039) in the aging model group was obviously lower than those in the normal control group (1.93 +/- 0.061), (0.81 +/- 0.053) respectively (both P < 0.05); the CD8(+) CD28(-) T/CD8(+) T cell percentages (26.28 +/- 4.69)% and CD8(+) T/T cell percentages (43.33 +/- 2.84)% in the aging model group were both significantly higher than those (15.08 +/- 5.58)% (P < 0.01), (34.70 +/- 4.24)% (P < 0.01) in the normal control group. Compared with the aging model group, the spleen index (1.91 +/- 0.081) and thymus index (0.79 +/- 0.080) in the Shuanggu Yitong group were significantly higher (both P < 0.05), but obviously decreased with the percentage of CD8(+) CD28(-) T/CD8(+) T cell (18.07 +/- 1.73) (P < 0.01); the percentage of CD8(+) CD28(-) T/CD8(+) T cell (18.07 +/- 1.73)% in the acupuncture control group was also lower than the aging model group (P < 0.05), but more obvious reduce for the Shuanggu Yitong group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The treatment of Shuanggu Yitong prescription could regulate the proportions of the T lymphocyte subset, and slow down the immunosenescence of subacute aging model rats induced by D-galactose.</p>