Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Intestinal tract and lymphoid tissue are important parts of intestinal immunity, and intestinal immunity plays a critical role in spleen deficiency.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the change of the structure of mesenteric lymph node tissues, lymphocyte proliferation and activation, and macrophage phagocytosis in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome, and to explore the correlation between spleen deficiency and intestinal mucosal immunity and the mechanism of acupuncture for spleen deficiency syndrome.
METHODS: Thirty-six female Sprague-Dawely rats of SPF grade provided by the Experimental Animal Center, Anhui Medical University were randomly divided into three groups: model group, acupuncture group and blank control group. A rat model of spleen deficiency was established by compounding fatigue and spleen-inflicted and eating disorders. The urine D-xylose excretion rate was measured during the model establishment and during the treatment period. After the model was successfully established, rats in the acupuncture control group were acupunctured at bilateral Zusanli (St36), once daily for 14 consecutive days. The model group naturally recovered, and the blank control group received no intervention. At the end of treatment, mesenteric lymph nodes were harvested and the ability of proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes was measured by MTS method. Morphological changes of mesenteric lymph nodes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Perls Prussian blue stain staining was used to detect the number of mesenteric lymph node macrophages.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Mesenteric lymph node tissue changes showed that: in the blank control group, the structure was complete. In the model group, the mesenteric lymph node network structure destroyed, lymph nodes and other structures were incomplete, lymph node subcortical area was in diffuse enlargement and widened, showing hyperfunction. In the acupuncture group, the mesenteric lymph node trabecula showed a substantial network structure, and the structure of lymphoid nodules basically recovered. The proliferation ability of mesenteric lymph nodes: the trend of T and B lymphocytes was the same, but the proliferation rate of T lymphocytes was significantly higher than that of B lymphocytes (P < 0.01). The proliferation rates of T and B lymphocytes in the model group were significantly lower than those in the blank control group (P < 0.01). The proliferation rate of T lymphocytes in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the proliferation rate of T lymphocytes between acupuncture and blank control groups (P > 0.05). The proliferation rate of B lymphocytes in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P < 0.01). The proliferation rate of B lymphocytes did not differ significantly between acupuncture and model groups (P > 0.05). The macrophage count in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model group, and significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P < 0.01). Our findings suggest that acupuncture at Zusanli can activate the immune response of mesenteric lymph nodes of spleen asthenia rats, promote phagocytosis and activation of mesenteric lymph node macrophages, and promote the proliferation and differentiation of lymphocyte of mesenteric lymph nodes, especially T lymphocyte proliferation. Therefore, the intestinal immune function can be improved, the spleen deficiency syndrome is improved, and the digestive function disorder of the intestine is adjusted.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建；骨细胞；软骨细胞；细胞培养；成纤维细胞；血管内皮细胞；骨质疏松；组织工程

Key words: Acupuncture Therapy, Mesentery, Immunity, Lymph Nodes, Macrophages, Tissue Engineering