Effect of acupuncture therapy on vaccine-induced immune response in D-galactose-induced aging rats

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether acupuncture and moxibustion can enhance the immune response by increasing the expression of the endogenous adjuvant HSP70 mRNA. Method: Forty Wistar rats were divided into four groups: model immune acupuncture group (A), model immune control group (B), normal immune acupuncture group (C), and normal immune control group (D). Model immune groups A and B were induced by injecting D-galactose for 6 weeks. Rats in groups A and C were then treated with low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36), Guanyuan (CV4), and Baihui (GV20) and moxibustion for 3 weeks. Subsequently, all rats were observed for 2 more weeks. At the 12th week, diphtheria antitoxin titers were determined using the Vero cell trace neutralization method, CD4(+)T/CD8(+)T cell ratios in peripheral blood were examined by flow cytometry, and the relative expression of spleen cell HSP70 mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. Results: Compared with the normal immune control, the diphtheria antitoxin titer, CD4(+)T/CD8(+)T cell ratio, and expression of spleen cell HSP70 mRNA significantly decreased in the model immune control group (P < 0.01). However, the model immune acupuncture group showed a significant increase in antitoxin titer (P < 0.01) and elevated CD4(+)T/CD8(+)T cell ratio and HSP70 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) after EA and moxibustion intervention. Conclusion: Acupuncture and moxibustion may enhance the humoral immune response (diphtheria antitoxin titer) and cellular immune response (peripheral blood CD4(+)T/CD8(+)T cell ratio) by increasing the expression of the endogenous adjuvant HSP70 mRNA, suggesting that acupuncture may serve as a new vaccine adjuvant.