[Effect of acupuncture on the regulation of cell-mediated immunity in the patients with malignant tumors].

In order to investigate the role of acupuncture in the regulation of cellular immune function, we observed acupuncture therapy affecting the levels of T lymphocytes subgroup (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) in the peripheral blood of patients with malignant tumors. Here was used the random-gioland method, the patients were divided into a group treated by acupuncture (acup. group, 20 cases) and a control group (20 cases). The acup. group was treated using points PC6, LI4, ST36, RN4 and location of symptomatic points bilaterally, one treatment of 30 min daily for 10 days. The results showed that there were increased levels of CD3+, CD4+ percentage, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and radioimmunoassay of beta-EP in blood plasma, a decreased level of SIL-2R after acup. The statistical significance was found to be remarkable (P < 0.01), so has a notable difference, the correlation analysis indicated: (1) there was a positive correlation between beta-EP and T-lymphocytes subgroups; (2) a negative correlation between beta-Bp and SIL-2R, so did it between T subgroups and SIL-2R. Our results showed that beta-EP enhanced immune function of patients by increased T lymphocyte subgroups, reduced SIL-2R, and this action of beta-EP may be mediated by opioid receptor. The above mentioned results prevented evidence that there was an adjusting-network of immune in the body, through this way, acup. therapy can heighten the cellular immune function of patients, providing a beneficial effect in anti-cancer treatment.