Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Sanyin" acupoints (bilateral "Jiayin" and "Zhongyin") on the cellular immune function of rats with chronic abacterial prostatitis (CAP), so as to explore its mechanism underlying relieving CAP.
Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, model, medication (Cernilton) and EA (n = 10 rats/group). The CAP model was made by injection of allogeneic prostatein purification liquid + Freund's complete adjuvant (1:1) and diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) vaccine (0.5 mL). EA was applied to bilateral "Jiayin" acupoints (located at the bilateral groins at the horizontal level of the upper border of the pubic symphysis) and "Zhongyin" [the midpoint between the "Huiyin" (CV 1) and the scrotum root, punctured with filiform needle] for 20 min, once daily for two therapeutic courses (15 days/course, one day break between the two courses). Rats of the medication group were given with oral administration of Cernilton (13 mg/kg) once daily for 15 days. Following killing the rats under deep anesthesia, the prostate wet weight, and prostate index (prostate weight/body weight) were determined. Pathological changes of the prostate tissue were examined by light microscope after sectioning and haematoxylin (HE) staining. Plasma levels of CD4+ Th- and CD8+ T-lymphocytes were assayed with flow cytometry.
Results: Compared with the control group, the morphological structure of prostate tissues of rats in the model group was severely damaged (proliferation of the prostate epithelium and inflammatory cell infilitration), which was relatively milder in the EA group. The plasma CD4+ level and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were significantly lower in the model group than in the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, plasma CD4+ levels were significantly increased in both medication and EA groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the CD4+ level of the EA group was considerably higher than that of the medication group (P < 0.05). The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in the EA group was remarkably higher than that in the model group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found among the four groups in the prostate weight, prostate index and plasma CD8+ levels (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: EA stimulation of "Sanyin" points is beneficial to relieve chronic abacterial prostatitis, which may contribute to its effect in strengthening the cellular immune function via upregulation of plasma CD4+ and CD4+/ CD8+ levels.