research article effects of acupuncture on 1-chloro-2,4...

Hindawi Publishing CorporationEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative MedicineVolume 2013 Article ID 982095 8 pageshttpdxdoiorg1011552013982095

Research ArticleEffects of Acupuncture on 1-Chloro-24-dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis

Ji-Yeun Park12 Hi-Joon Park1 You Yeon Choi3 Mi Hye Kim3

Seung-Nam Kim12 and Woong Mo Yang3

1 Studies of Translational Acupuncture Research (STAR) Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC)Kyung Hee University 26 Kyungheedae-ro Dongdaemun-gu Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea

2Department of KoreanMedical Science Graduate School of KoreanMedicine Kyung Hee University Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea3 Department of Prescriptionology College of Korean Medicine Kyung Hee University 26 Kyungheedae-ro Dongdaemun-guSeoul 130-701 Republic of Korea

Correspondence should be addressed to Hi-Joon Park acufindkhuackr and Woong Mo Yang wmyangkhuackr

Received 16 May 2013 Revised 3 July 2013 Accepted 5 July 2013

Academic Editor Yong-Qing Yang

Copyright copy 2013 Ji-Yeun Park et al This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution Licensewhich permits unrestricted use distribution and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited

Though the effects of acupuncture in atopic dermatitis have been proven in clinical studies its mechanism remains unclear In thisstudy we investigate the effectiveness andmechanism of action for acupuncture treatment on the LI11 meridian point for treatmentof allergic contact dermatitis BALBcmice received 1-chloro-24-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) application to induce skin inflammationAcupuncture treatment on LI11 significantly inhibited cutaneous hyperplasia serum IgE levels and expression of proinflammatorycytokine (IL-4 IL-8 and TNF-120572) mRNA and NF-120581B ERK12 JNK and p38 proteins Acupuncture treatment of local points alsoinhibited cutaneous hyperplasia and serum IgE levels however it was not effective in regulating proinflammatory cytokines andproteins In addition LI11 treatment is more effective at reducing serum IgE levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteinsthan local point treatment These results suggest that acupuncture treatment is effective in alleviating allergic contact dermatitis byreducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteins

1 Introduction

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a chronic inflammatoryskin disease presenting with cutaneous hyperreactivity thatprogresses due to the activation of inflammatory cells relatedto various allergic immune responses [1] Although theetiology and pathology of ACD are not fully understoodprevious studies suggest that typical symptoms of ACDare predominantly caused by allergen-specific T-helper (Th)12 cell dysregulation leading to immunoglobulin E (IgE)production [2 3] and the accumulation of proinflammatorymediators [4]

The incidence of ACD has increased dramatically espe-cially in industrialized countries and it now affects up to 20of children and 3 of adults worldwide [5] Until recentlyACD has been treated with medications such as steroid

therapy and immunosuppressive agents However thesepharmacological therapies may cause various side effects [6]Thus the use of less toxic alternative therapies includingacupuncture and herbal preparations is increasing for thetreatment of ACD [7ndash9]

Acupuncture is a nonpharmacologic technique widelyused in the treatment of pain [10ndash12] wounds and vari-ous skin diseases such as inflammation [13ndash15] In severalstudies acupuncture has been shown to reduce experimentalitch allergen-induced basophil activation and eczema inatopic dermatitis [16ndash19] Though the therapeutic efficacy ofacupuncture in the treatment of atopic dermatitis has beenproven in clinical studies [17 18] its mechanism of actionremains poorly understood

In the present study we employed a 1-chloro-24-dini-trobenzene- (DNCB-) induced model of ACD in mice

2 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Table 1 Primer sequences

Target gene Primer Sequence (51015840-31015840) Amplicon size (bp)

IL-8 F 51015840-TGTGGGAGGCTGTGTTTGTA-31015840 151R 51015840-ACGAGACCAGGAGAAACAGG-31015840

IL-4 F 51015840-TCATCGGCATTTTGAACGAG-31015840 399R 51015840-CCCATACTTTAGGAAGACACGGATT-31015840

IL-1120573 F 51015840-CTC TAG ACC ATG CTA CAG AC-31015840 291R 51015840-TGG AAT CCA GGG GAA ACA CTG-31015840

TNF-120572 F 51015840-GGT GCA ATG CAG AGC CTT CC-31015840 173R 51015840-CAG TGA TGT AGC GAC AGC CTG G-31015840

GAPDH F 51015840-GGC ATG GAC TGT GGT CAT GA-31015840 376R 51015840-TTC ACC ACC ATG GAG AAG GC-31015840

To evaluate the effects of acupuncture on ACD we investi-gated changes in histology total IgE serum levels andmRNAexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines In addition theexpression of NF-120581B and MAPKs (ERK12 JNK and p38)was measured in the dorsal skin by western blot

2 Materials and Methods

21 Animals and Treatment BALBc mice (7-week-oldfemales) were purchased from Japan SLC Inc (HamamatsuJapan) Both animal care and the study protocol were con-ducted according to the guidelines of the Committee on Careand Use of Laboratory Animals of Kyung Hee University(KHUASP (SE)-12-020) The mice were maintained for 10days in pathogen-free conditions before the start of theexperiment Mice were kept at a constant temperature (23∘C)andhumidity (55)with a 12 h lightdark cycle and theywereprovidedwith a laboratory diet andwater ad libitum After the10-day adaptation period mice were assigned to one of fourgroups (each 119899 = 5) NOR (normal group mice treated withvehicle)DNCB (negative control groupmice sensitized withDNCB) MP (meridian point mice sensitized with DNCBand treated at meridian point LI11) and LP (local point micesensitizedwithDNCB and treated at local points surroundingthe lesion)

For induction of ACD-like skin disorders DNCB wasapplied onto the mouse dorsal skin The dorsal skin regionof mice in all groups was shaved with an electric razorin preparation for each experimental cutaneous applicationInduction of ACD was achieved by topical application of100 120583L 1DNCB in 4 1 (vv) acetoneolive oil solution (AO)once daily to the shaved dorsal skin These procedures wererepeated for 3 days (days 0ndash2) and followed by a period ofno treatment for 5 days (days 3ndash7) In the second challengethe LP and MP groups were treated with acupuncture 3 hprior to the application of 05 DNCB (days 8ndash16) Mice inthe control group for ACD received vehicle treatment alone(AO 4 1) without DNCB treatment Following challengefor 7 days the mice were sacrificed on day 17 of theexperiment Skin tissues from the backs of the mice wereexcised and subjected to histological examination and bloodwas collected in heparinized tubes from cardiac puncture Allexperiments were performed blindly

22 Histological Examination The dorsal skin (1 times 05 cm)was removed and fixed in 10 paraformaldehyde (Sigma StLouisMOUSA) Fixed tissueswere embedded in paraffin for24 h and serially sectioned to a thickness of 4120583m for histolog-ical analysis Tissue sections were stained with hematoxylinand eosin (HampE) and examined for general morphology Toassess epidermal and dermal hyperplasia in all four groups alltissue samples were examined and photographed in a blindedfashion Images were captured using the Leica ApplicationSuite (LAS Leica Microsystems Buffalo Grove IL USA) andviewed at times100 magnification

23 Measurement of Total Serum IgE Levels Blood sampleswere collected from the mice after sacrifice and serumsamples were obtained by centrifugation (14000timesg 30min)Total serum IgE levels of three group (119899 = 5) were measuredthree times repeatedly by an enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay (ELISA) kit (Cat no KT-401 Kamiya BiomedicalSeattle WA USA) following the manufacturerrsquos instructions

24 Detection of mRNA Expression by Reverse Transcrip-tion Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) To determinecytokine gene expression in the dorsal skin reverse-transcription PCR was performed Total RNA was extractedfrom the dorsal skin using TRIzol Reagent (Invitrogen CorpCarlsbad CA USA) following themanufacturerrsquos instructionand quantified by determining the OD at 260 nm PreparedcDNAs were amplified using commercially available cDNAsynthesis kits (Invitrogen Corp Carlsbad CA USA) accord-ing to the manufacturerrsquos recommendations Thermocyclerconditions consisted of an initial step at 4∘C for 5minfollowed by a step at 45∘C for 60min and 40 cycles of asubsequent 2-step PCRprogram at 95∘C for 5min Amplifica-tion of cDNAwas conductedwith Taq polymerase (Promega)and primers specific for tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) 120572interleukin- (IL-) 1120573 IL-4 IL-8 and GAPDH mRNA Theprimers used for amplificationwere synthesized using PrimerExpress Software (Applied Biosystems) and the sequencesof the primers used in this study are shown in Table 1The PCR cycles consisted of denaturation at 94∘C for 30 sannealing at 58∘C for 30 s and extension at 72∘C for 45 s for30 cycles PCR products were separated by electrophoresisthrough a 2agarose gel stainedwith ethidiumbromide and

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 3

then detected using UV light For semiquantitative analysisof PCR bands the density of each band was measured with acomputer imaging device and accompanying software (Bio-Rad Hercules CA USA)

25 Detection of Protein Expression by Western Blot AnalysisWestern blotting was performed to study pro-inflammatoryprotein expression Frozen skin tissues were homogenized incytoplasmic lysis buffer (10mM HEPES pH 79 10mM KCl01mM EDTA 01mM EGTA 1mM DTT 015 NonidetP-40 50mM 120573-glycerophosphate 10mM NaF and 5mMNa3VO4) containing a protease inhibitor cocktail (Roche

Indianapolis IN USA) and centrifuged at 500 rpm for 5minAfter removing the supernatant the sunken pellet (nuclearpellet) was added to nuclear lysis buffer (20mM HEPES pH79 400mM NaCl 1mM EDTA 1mM EGTA 1mM DTT050 Nonidet P-40 50mM 120573-glycerophosphate 10mMNaF and 5mMNa

3VO4) containing protease inhibitor cock-

tail and then homogenized for 15min on ice Nuclear proteinwas centrifuged at 12000timesg for 15min at 4∘C to deter-mine NF-120581B levels MAPKs (extracellular signal-regulatedkinase (ERK) Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38MAPK) levels were confirmed from whole extracts Eachgroup of skin tissues was homogenized on ice for 15minin RIPA buffer (50mM Tris-HCl pH 74 1 Nonidet P-40 05 sodium deoxycholate and 150mM NaCl) contain-ing protease inhibitor cocktail The resultant homogenatewas centrifuged at 10000timesg for 30min at 4∘C and thesupernatant was collected for whole protein extraction Theprotein concentration was measured using a protein assayreagent (Bio-Rad Hercules CA USA) and 30 120583g of proteinwas denatured with SDS buffer Samples were separatedon a 10 SDS-polyacrylamide gel and the proteins werethen electrotransferred to a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)membrane The immunoblot was incubated overnight inblocking solution (5 skim milk) at 4∘C followed by a 4 hincubation in monoclonal anti-NF-120581B ERK12 JNK or p38(Cell Signaling CA USA) Blots were washed two times withTBS-T and incubated with anti-rabbit alkaline phosphatase-conjugated secondary antibody (Santa Cruz BiotechnologyInc CA USA) for 2 h at room temperature The proteinswere then visualized using an enhanced chemiluminescence(ECL) detection reagent (Amersham Pharmacia PiscatawayNJ USA) The relative band density was determined using acomputerized densitometry system and normalized to the 120573-actin signal from a blot developed under similar conditions

26 Statistical Analysis GraphPad Prism 5 software (Graph-Pad Software Inc San Diego CA USA) was used for thestatistical analysis All data are expressed as the mean plusmnstandard deviation (SD) Significance was determined usingone-way ANOVA with the Newman-Keuls post hoc test Inall analyses 119875 lt 005 indicated statistical significance

3 Results

31 Effects of Acupuncture onHistological Changes We exam-ined whether acupuncture treatment affected the interrupted

skin barrier in ACD using HampE staining The averageepidermal thickness of the dorsal skin was 3258 plusmn 655 120583min the normal group 120 plusmn 1583 120583m in the DNCB group8716 plusmn 1238 120583m in the LP group and 7630 plusmn 1034 120583m inthe MP group Additionally the average dermal thickness ofthe dorsal skin was 24336 plusmn 1537 120583m in the normal group66097 plusmn 6789120583m in the DNCB group 44727 plusmn 3855 120583min the LP group and 42794 plusmn 1989 120583m in the MP groupThe skinwas significantly thicker inDNCB-treatedmice thanin the normal group Compared to the DNCB group MP-treated mice displayed significantly reduced skin thickeningand hyperplasia (119875 lt 0001) LP-treated mice also showedreduced skin thickening compared to the DNCB group (119875 lt0001) although not to the extent of that observed in the MPgroup which displayed the least amount of thickening amongthe groups (Figures 1(c)ndash1(e))

32 Effects of Acupuncture on Serum IgE Levels Total IgEserum levels were measured to assess the effects of acupunc-ture treatment on DNCB-induced mice The DNCB groupshowed increased IgE levels (32887 plusmn 2513 ngmL 119875 lt0001) compared to the normal control group (4695 plusmn25 ngmL) DNCB-mediated enhancement of serum IgElevels was significantly reduced in the MP-treated group(18637 plusmn 323 ngmL 119875 lt 0001) and the LP-treatedgroup (23247 plusmn 593 ngmL 119875 lt 0001) compared to theDNCB group In addition IgE levels of the MP group weresignificantly reduced compared to the LP group (119875 lt 001)(Figure 2)

33 Effects of Acupuncture on Cytokine Levels RT-PCRwas performed to measure the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-8 TNF-120572 and IL-1120573) and Th2cytokine (IL-4) mRNA in the dorsal skin Expression of IL-4IL-8 TNF-120572 and IL-1120573mRNA was induced by DNCB treat-ment (505 plusmn 125 15504 plusmn 2249 11067 plusmn 1116 and 39282 plusmn7059 resp) IL-4 IL-8 and TNF-120572 mRNA expression wasdrastically downregulated in the dorsal skin of MP-treatedmice (205 plusmn 035 5058 plusmn 1687 and 2121 plusmn 161 resp) butnot in the LP group (Figure 3) In addition the level of IL-4IL-8 and TNF-120572mRNA was significantly reduced in the MPgroup compared to the LP group Expression of IL-1120573mRNAfollowed an expression pattern similar to that of the othercytokines in the treatment groups but it was not statisticallysignificant

34 Effects of Acupuncture on NF-120581B Expression in the SkinTo investigate the anti-inflammatorymechanism of acupunc-ture treatment in ACD-like disorders the effects of acupunc-ture on activation ofNF-120581B an important transcription factorthat mediates the transcription of many pro-inflammatorycytokine genes were examined by western blotting MP andLP treatment significantly reduced the expression of NF-120581B(MP 26002plusmn 1467119875 lt 0001 LP 55687plusmn 3624119875 lt 0001)compared to the DNCB group (82682 plusmn 6063) In additionthe MP group displayed greater anti-inflammatory efficacythan the LP group (119875 lt 0001) (Figure 4)


DNCBsensitizations

DNCB sensitization withlocal point or meridian point

Day 17

SacrificeAdaptations No treatment

Day 0ndash2 Day 3ndash7 Day 8ndash16

(a)

LI11

(b)

NOR MPLPDNCB

(c)

0

50

100

150

NOR MPLPDNCB

Epid

erm

al th

ickn

ess (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(d)

0

200

400

600

800

NOR MPLPDNCB

Der

mal

thic

knes

s (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(e)

Figure 1 Experimental details and the result of histological analysis by HampE staining of epidermal and dermal hyperplasia (a) Experimentalschedule of DNCB sensitization and acupuncture treatment at the local and meridian points (b) Location of the acupuncture point LI11used in this study LI11 is in the depression on the lateral end of the cubital crease at the midpoint of the line connecting LU5 with thelateral epicondyle of the humerus (c) Reduced thickening and hyperplasia after acupuncture treatment at local and meridian points in theepidermis and dermis Scale bar 200 120583m (d-e) The skin thickness of the DNCB group was significantly increased compared to the normalgroup Acupuncture treatment at the local points and meridian points significantly reduced thickening and hyperplasia in the epidermis (d)and dermis (e) compared to the DNCB group NOR mice treated with vehicle DNCB mice sensitized with DNCB LP mice sensitized withDNCB and treated at local points around the lesion MP mice sensitized with DNCB and treated at meridian point LI11 lowastlowastlowast119875 lt 0001compared to the NOR group

119875 lt 0001 compared to the DNCB group One-way ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test wasperformed for statistical analysis and all data are presented as the mean plusmn SD

35 Effects of Acupuncture on Expression ofMAPKs in the SkinThe DNCB group displayed increased expression of MAPKsignaling proteins p-ERK12 p-JNK and p-p38 in theMAPKsignaling pathway (94689 plusmn 6880 30589 plusmn 764 and 18481plusmn 2464 resp) MP treatment inhibited the upregulation ofphosphorylation of ERK12 JNK and p38 (29995 plusmn 103916166 plusmn 2135 and 9300 plusmn 2004) compared with the DNCBgroup In addition the levels of p-ERK12 and p-38 in the LPgroup were not statistically different from the DNCB groupwhereas the change in expression of p-JNK was statistically

significant MP treatment reduced the levels of p-ERK12 p-JNK and p-p38 more effectively than LP treatment (93088 plusmn7737 26099 plusmn 2177 and 20135 plusmn 1808 resp) (Figure 5)

4 Discussion

Although acupuncture treatment has been increasingly usedin atopic dermatitis with several clinical studies demonstrat-ing the effectiveness of acupuncture [17 18] preclinical stud-ies especially in vivo studies investigating the mechanism of


NOR MPLPDNCB

lowastlowastlowast

0

100

200

300

400

Seru

m Ig

E (n

gm

L)

sectsect

Figure 2 Suppression of serum IgE levels by acupuncture treatment DNCB-mediated induction of IgE levels was significantly reduced inthe MP and LP groups IgE levels in the MP group were less than in the LP group NOR mice treated with vehicle DNCB mice sensitizedwith DNCB LP mice sensitized with DNCB and treated at local points around the lesion MP mice sensitized with DNCB and treated atmeridian point LI11 lowastlowastlowast119875 lt 0001 compared to the NOR group

119875 lt 0001 compared to the DNCB group sectsect119875 lt 001 compared to

the LP group One-way ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test was performed for statistical analysis and all data are presented as themean plusmn SD

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-8

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-4

mRN

A

0

2

4

6

8

0

50

100

150

200

0

50

100

150

0

100

200

300

400

500

NOR DNCB LP MP NOR DNCB LP MP


NOR DNCB LP MP

IL-4

IL-8

GAPDH

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowast

sectsectsect

sectsectsect

sectsect

Relat

ive l

evel

s of T

NF-120572

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-1120573

mRN

A

TNF-120572

IL-1120573

(a) (b)

(d)(c)

Figure 3 Effects of acupuncture treatment on production of cytokines IL-4 IL-8 TNF-120572 and IL-1120573 mRNA expression was increasedsignificantly by DNCB sensitization MP treatment significantly reduced IL-4 IL-8 and TNF-120572 expression NOR mice treated with vehicleDNCB mice sensitized with DNCB LP mice sensitized with DNCB and treated at local points around the lesion MP mice sensitized withDNCB and treated at meridian point LI11 lowastlowast119875 lt 001 lowastlowastlowast119875 lt 0001 compared to the NOR group

119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to

the DNCB group sectsect119875 lt 001 sectsectsect

119875 lt 0001 compared to the LP group One-way ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test was performedfor statistical analysis and all data are presented as the mean plusmn SD


0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin

Figure 4 Suppression of NF-120581B expression by acupuncture treat-ment Increased expression ofNF-120581Bwas significantly reduced uponMP and LP treatment The MP group showed reduced expressioncompared to the LP group NOR mice treated with vehicle DNCBmice sensitized with DNCB LP mice sensitized with DNCB andtreated at local points around the lesion MP mice sensitized withDNCB and treated at meridian point LI11 lowastlowastlowast119875 lt 0001 comparedto the NOR group

119875 lt 0001 compared to the DNCB groupsectsectsect119875 lt 0001 compared to the LP groupOne-wayANOVA followed

by theNewman-Keuls test was performed for statistical analysis andall data are presented as the mean plusmn SD

action for acupuncture are lacking To the best of our knowl-edge this is the first study to identify acupuncture-mediatedanti-inflammatory mechanisms in atopic dermatitis

Several methods for selecting acupuncture points to treatdermatitis exist One method involves selection of meridianpoints at locations remote from the lesion such as LI11 andLI4 [20 21] An alternativemethod selects local points aroundthe lesion [14] Among the meridian points LI11 is knownto have therapeutic effects on various skin diseases such asinflammation pruritus and urticaria [20ndash22] In this studywe investigated the therapeutic effect of the LI11 meridianpoint compared to local points around the lesion to definepotential differences of the effect based on the location ofacupuncture treatment

ACD is defined as inflammatory skin disease char-acterized by pruritic and eczematous skin lesions exten-sive inflammatory cell infiltration and release of pro-inflammatory mediators [23] To evaluate the histologicalchanges after MP treatment in DNCB-induced mice dorsalskin sections were subjected to HampE staining Hypertro-phy and hyperkeratosis of the dermis and epidermis wereobserved in our DNCB-induced model In contrast the MPand LP groups displayed significant reductions in DNCB-induced hyperplasia of epidermal and dermal thickeningThough there was no significant difference between the MPand LP groups the reduction of DNCB-induced hyperplasiaand epidermal thickeningwas a littlemore pronounced in theMP group

IgE expression was known to cause both acute andchronic phase skin inflammations Therefore the upregu-lation of total serum IgE is a hallmark of ACD [24] Inthe present study the concentration of total serum IgE wasreduced in both MP- and LP-treated mice as compared tothe DNCB group Interestingly meridian point acupuncturetreatment is more effective in reducing allergic sensitizationand the severity of ACD than local acupuncture treatment

We next examined the effect of acupuncture treatmenton cytokine responses In the pathogenesis and progressionof ACD the regulation of inflammatory cytokine produc-tion is an essential step Important roles of Th1 and Th2cytokines have been confirmed in DNCB-induced allergicskin inflammation models by targeting deletions of thesecytokines [25] Generally contact allergens have been asso-ciated with increases in the Th1 cytokines INF-120574 and TNF-120572 In particular TNF-120572 is an essential mediator of ACD[26] TNF-120572 expression is increased after challenge withDNCB and only showed a significant reduction in MPtreatment Also we showed thatMP treatment decreasedTh2cytokine IL-4 which plays a central role in the promotionof an allergic inflammatory eosinophilic reaction in allergicdiseases through IgE isotype switching [25] Therefore ourresults suggest that MP treatment can reduce serum IgE bysuppressing the Th1 response as well as Th2 In addition IL-8 a member of the chemokine family is produced by varioustypes of cells upon stimulation with inflammatory stimuli[27] A pathological increase of cutaneous IL-1120573 is associatedwith edema formation epidermal hyperproliferation andcontact atopic dermatitis in humans [27] Our data showedthat IL-8 and IL-1120573 expression is increased after challengewith DNCB and only showed a significant reduction ofIL-8 reduction in MP treatment Meanwhile LP treatmentdid not affect any of the expression of pro-inflammatorycytokines These results showed that acupuncture treatmenton the LI11 meridian point is more effective in regulatingpro-inflammatory Th1 and Th2 cytokines than local pointtreatment

Transcription factors of the NF-120581B family have also beenimplicated in the arrest of proliferation and initiation ofdifferentiation in epidermal keratinocytes [28] Additionallymany studies have reported that theMAPK signaling cascadeplays an essential role in the initiation of inflammatoryresponses [29] In addition activation of theMAPK signalingpathway ultimately results in direct or indirect phosphory-lation andor activation of NF-120581B as well as alterations ingene expression [30] These findings indicate that the MAPKpathway could be an effective target for anti-inflammatorytherapy We confirmed that increased expression of NF-120581B and MAPKs by DNCB treatment was subsequentlyreduced after MP treatment The results suggest that MPtreatment has anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting pro-inflammatory activities This anti-inflammatory effect of MPtreatment might be produced through the systemic immunemodulations which are connected to central nerve changesinduced by acupuncture treatment [31ndash37] We also foundthat LP treatment influenced regulating NF-120581B and p-JNKIt might be mainly produced by local anti-inflammatoryaction of acupuncture stimulation [14] Overall effect of LP


p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)

Figure 5 Suppression of MAP kinase expression by acupuncture at the meridian point LI11 Phosphorylation of ERK12 JNK and p38MAP kinases was significantly elevated by DNCB sensitization Acupuncture treatment on the meridian point significantly suppressed theexpression of MAP kinases NOR mice treated with vehicle DNCB mice sensitized with DNCB LP mice sensitized with DNCB and treatedat local points around the lesion MP mice sensitized with DNCB and treated at meridian point LI11 lowastlowast119875 lt 001 lowastlowastlowast119875 lt 0001 comparedto the NOR group

119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to the DNCB group sectsect

119875 lt 001 sectsectsect119875 lt 0001 compared to the LP group One-way

ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test was performed for statistical analysis and all data are presented as the mean plusmn SD

treatment was less powerful than MP treatment and it didnot affect pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteins Fromthese results we suggest that MP treatment is more effectivein regulating pro-inflammatory biomarkers speculated to beexerted by systemic modulation

In summary we demonstrated that acupuncture treat-ment on the LI11 meridian point is an effective means toreduce mouse dorsal skin hyperplasia and serum IgE levelsin ACD and these effects were mediated by regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 IL-8 andTNF-120572) and proteins(NF-120581B and MAPKs) In contrast local point treatment wasalso effective in reducing dorsal skin thickness and serum IgElevels however it did not affect most of pro-inflammatorycytokines and proteins which indicates that the therapeuticeffect of local stimulation inACDmight be produced by path-ways other than pro-inflammatory pathways These resultsdemonstrate that acupuncture may be a useful treatmentfor the treatment of ACD Further investigation would benecessary to clarify its molecular mechanisms of action

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Basic Science ResearchProgram through theNational Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education Science andTechnology (no 2005-0049404)

References

[1] M Vocanson A Hennino M Cluzel-Tailhardat et al ldquoCD8+T cells are effector cells of contact dermatitis to common skin

allergens inmicerdquo Journal of Investigative Dermatology vol 126no 4 pp 815ndash820 2006

[2] J AWoodfolk ldquoT-cell responses to allergensrdquo Journal of Allergyand Clinical Immunology vol 119 no 2 pp 280ndash294 2007

[3] M Uehara R Izukura and T Sawai ldquoBlood eosinophilia inatopic dermatitisrdquo Clinical and Experimental Dermatology vol15 no 4 pp 264ndash266 1990

[4] Y Y Choi M H Kim J H Kim et al ldquoSchizonepeta tenuifoliainhibits the development of atopic dermatitis in micerdquo Phy-totherapy Research vol 27 no 8 pp 1131ndash1135 2013

[5] F Schultz Larsen ldquoThe epidemiology of atopic dermatitisrdquoMonographs in Allergy vol 31 pp 9ndash28 1993

[6] J del Rosso and S F Friedlander ldquoCorticosteroids optionsin the era of steroid-sparing therapyrdquo Journal of the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology vol 53 no 1 pp S50ndashS58 2005

[7] T Schafer A Riehle H-EWichmann and J Ring ldquoAlternativemedicine in allergiesmdashprevalence patterns of use and costsrdquoAllergy vol 57 no 8 pp 694ndash700 2002

[8] S Boneberger R A Rupec and T Ruzicka ldquoComplementarytherapy for atopic dermatitis and other allergic skin diseasesfacts and controversiesrdquo Clinics in Dermatology vol 28 no 1pp 57ndash61 2010

[9] M Yeom S H Kim B Lee et al ldquoOral administration ofglucosylceramide ameliorates inflammatory dry-skin conditionin chronic oxazolone-induced irritant contact dermatitis in themouse earrdquoThe Journal of Dermatological Science vol 67 no 2pp 101ndash110 2012

[10] B M Berman H H Langevin C M Witt and R DubnerldquoAcupuncture for chronic low back painrdquo The New EnglandJournal of Medicine vol 363 no 5 pp 454ndash461 2010

[11] A J Vickers A M Cronin A C Maschino et al ldquoAcupunc-ture for chronic pain individual patient data meta-analysisrdquo


Archives of Internal Medicine vol 172 no 19 pp 1444ndash14532012

[12] C HMWoollam andA O Jackson ldquoAcupuncture in theman-agement of chronic painrdquo Anaesthesia vol 53 no 6 pp 593ndash595 1998

[13] T F Su Y Q Zhao L H Zhang et al ldquoElectroacupunc-ture reduces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines ininflamed skin tissues through activation of cannabinoid CB2receptorsrdquo European Journal of Pain vol 16 no 5 pp 624ndash6352012

[14] J-A Lee H J Jeong H-J Park S Jeon and S-U HongldquoAcupuncture accelerates wound healing in burn-injuredmicerdquoBurns vol 37 no 1 pp 117ndash125 2011

[15] S I Park Y Y Sunwoo Y J Jung et al ldquoTherapeutic effects ofacupuncture through enhancement of functional angiogenesisand granulogenesis in rat wound healingrdquo Evidence-BasedComplementary and Alternative Medicine vol 2012 Article ID464586 10 pages 2012

[16] F Salameh D Perla M Solomon et al ldquoThe effectivenessof combined Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture inthe treatment of atopic dermatitisrdquo Journal of Alternative andComplementary Medicine vol 14 no 8 pp 1043ndash1048 2008

[17] F Pfab J Huss-Marp A Gatti et al ldquoInfluence of acupunctureon type i hypersensitivity itch and the wheal and flare responsein adults with atopic eczemamdasha blinded randomized placebo-controlled crossover trialrdquo Allergy vol 65 no 7 pp 903ndash9102010

[18] F Pfab M-T Kirchner J Huss-Marp et al ldquoAcupuncture com-paredwith oral antihistamine for type i hypersensitivity itch andskin response in adults with atopic dermatitismdasha patient- andexaminer-blinded randomized placebo-controlled crossovertrialrdquo Allergy vol 67 no 4 pp 566ndash573 2012

[19] F Pfab G I Athanasiadis J Huss-Marp et al ldquoEffectof acupuncture on allergen-induced basophil activation inpatients with atopic eczema a pilot trialrdquo Journal of Alternativeand Complementary Medicine vol 17 no 4 pp 309ndash314 2011

[20] K C Lee A Keyes J R Hensley et al ldquoEffectiveness ofacupressure on pruritus and lichenifi cation associated withatopic dermatitis a pilot trialrdquoAcupuncture inMedicine vol 30no 1 pp 8ndash11 2012

[21] C-Y Chou C Y Wen M-T Kao and C-C Huang ldquoAcupunc-ture in haemodialysis patients at the Quchi (LI11) acupoint forrefractory uraemic pruritusrdquo Nephrology Dialysis Transplanta-tion vol 20 no 9 pp 1912ndash1915 2005

[22] M A C C O K O M Colleges Details of Meridians ampAcupoints (Volume I) A Guidebook for College Students EuiBang Publishing Co Wonju Republic of Korea 2009

[23] N Morar S A G Willis-Owen M F Moffatt and W O C MCookson ldquoThe genetics of atopic dermatitisrdquo Journal of Allergyand Clinical Immunology vol 118 no 1 pp 24ndash34 2006

[24] SHArshad and SHolgate ldquoThe role of IgE in allergen-inducedinflammation and the potential for intervention with a human-ized monoclonal anti-IgE antibodyrdquo Clinical and ExperimentalAllergy vol 31 no 9 pp 1344ndash1351 2001

[25] C A Akdis M Akdis T Bieber et al ldquoDiagnosis and treatmentof atopic dermatitis in children and adults European Academyof Allergology and Clinical ImmunologyAmerican Academyof Allergy Asthma and ImmunologyPRACTALL consensusreportrdquoThe Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology vol 118no 1 pp 152ndash169 2006

[26] S E Anderson P D Siegel and B J Meade ldquoThe LLNA a briefreview of recent advances and limitationsrdquo Journal of Allergyvol 2011 Article ID 424203 10 pages 2011

[27] A Harada N Sekido T Akahoshi T Wada N Mukaida andK Matsushima ldquoEssential involvement of interleukin-8 (IL-8)in acute inflammationrdquo Journal of Leukocyte Biology vol 56 no5 pp 559ndash564 1994

[28] C S Seitz Q Lin H Deng and P A Khavari ldquoAlterations inNF-120581B function in transgenic epithelial tissue demonstrate agrowth inhibitory role for NF-120581Brdquo Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences of the United States of America vol 95 no5 pp 2307ndash2312 1998

[29] H Adwanikar F Karim and R W Gereau IV ldquoInflammationpersistently enhances nocifensive behaviors mediated by spinalgroup I mGluRs through sustained ERK activationrdquo Pain vol111 no 1-2 pp 125ndash135 2004

[30] L Y Guo T M Hung K H Bae et al ldquoAnti-inflammatoryeffects of schisandrin isolated from the fruit of Schisandrachinensis Baillrdquo European Journal of Pharmacology vol 591 no1ndash3 pp 293ndash299 2008

[31] N Goldman M Chen T Fujita et al ldquoAdenosine A1 receptorsmediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncturerdquo NatureNeuroscience vol 13 no 7 pp 883ndash888 2010

[32] Z-L Guo A RMoazzami S Tjen-A-Looi and J C LonghurstldquoResponses of opioid and serotonin containingmedullary rapheneurons to electroacupuncturerdquo Brain Research vol 1229 pp125ndash136 2008

[33] F J Zijlstra I van den Berg-de Lange F J P M Huygen andJ Klein ldquoAnti-inflammatory actions of acupuncturerdquoMediatorsof Inflammation vol 12 no 2 pp 59ndash69 2003

[34] M T Cabioglu and B E Cetin ldquoAcupuncture and immuno-modulationrdquoTheAmerican Journal of ChineseMedicine vol 36no 1 pp 25ndash36 2008

[35] S K Kim and H Bae ldquoAcupuncture and immune modulationrdquoAutonomic Neuroscience Basic and Clinical vol 157 no 1-2 pp38ndash41 2010

[36] C Libert ldquoInflammation a nervous connectionrdquo Nature vol421 no 6921 pp 328ndash329 2003

[37] E-T Hahm J-J Lee W-K Lee H-S Bae B-I Min and Y-W Cho ldquoElectroacupuncture enhancement of natural killer cellactivity suppressed by anterior hypothalamic lesions in ratsrdquoNeuroImmunoModulation vol 11 no 4 pp 268ndash272 2004

Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom

Stem CellsInternational

Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014


MEDIATORSINFLAMMATION

of


Behavioural Neurology

EndocrinologyInternational Journal of



Disease Markers


BioMed Research International

OncologyJournal of



Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity


PPAR Research

The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014

Immunology ResearchHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014

Journal of

ObesityJournal of



Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine

OphthalmologyJournal of


Diabetes ResearchJournal of



Research and TreatmentAIDS


Gastroenterology Research and Practice


Parkinsonrsquos Disease

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Volume 2014Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom


Table 1 Primer sequences

Target gene Primer Sequence (51015840-31015840) Amplicon size (bp)

IL-8 F 51015840-TGTGGGAGGCTGTGTTTGTA-31015840 151R 51015840-ACGAGACCAGGAGAAACAGG-31015840

IL-4 F 51015840-TCATCGGCATTTTGAACGAG-31015840 399R 51015840-CCCATACTTTAGGAAGACACGGATT-31015840

IL-1120573 F 51015840-CTC TAG ACC ATG CTA CAG AC-31015840 291R 51015840-TGG AAT CCA GGG GAA ACA CTG-31015840

TNF-120572 F 51015840-GGT GCA ATG CAG AGC CTT CC-31015840 173R 51015840-CAG TGA TGT AGC GAC AGC CTG G-31015840

GAPDH F 51015840-GGC ATG GAC TGT GGT CAT GA-31015840 376R 51015840-TTC ACC ACC ATG GAG AAG GC-31015840

To evaluate the effects of acupuncture on ACD we investi-gated changes in histology total IgE serum levels andmRNAexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines In addition theexpression of NF-120581B and MAPKs (ERK12 JNK and p38)was measured in the dorsal skin by western blot

2 Materials and Methods

21 Animals and Treatment BALBc mice (7-week-oldfemales) were purchased from Japan SLC Inc (HamamatsuJapan) Both animal care and the study protocol were con-ducted according to the guidelines of the Committee on Careand Use of Laboratory Animals of Kyung Hee University(KHUASP (SE)-12-020) The mice were maintained for 10days in pathogen-free conditions before the start of theexperiment Mice were kept at a constant temperature (23∘C)andhumidity (55)with a 12 h lightdark cycle and theywereprovidedwith a laboratory diet andwater ad libitum After the10-day adaptation period mice were assigned to one of fourgroups (each 119899 = 5) NOR (normal group mice treated withvehicle)DNCB (negative control groupmice sensitized withDNCB) MP (meridian point mice sensitized with DNCBand treated at meridian point LI11) and LP (local point micesensitizedwithDNCB and treated at local points surroundingthe lesion)

For induction of ACD-like skin disorders DNCB wasapplied onto the mouse dorsal skin The dorsal skin regionof mice in all groups was shaved with an electric razorin preparation for each experimental cutaneous applicationInduction of ACD was achieved by topical application of100 120583L 1DNCB in 4 1 (vv) acetoneolive oil solution (AO)once daily to the shaved dorsal skin These procedures wererepeated for 3 days (days 0ndash2) and followed by a period ofno treatment for 5 days (days 3ndash7) In the second challengethe LP and MP groups were treated with acupuncture 3 hprior to the application of 05 DNCB (days 8ndash16) Mice inthe control group for ACD received vehicle treatment alone(AO 4 1) without DNCB treatment Following challengefor 7 days the mice were sacrificed on day 17 of theexperiment Skin tissues from the backs of the mice wereexcised and subjected to histological examination and bloodwas collected in heparinized tubes from cardiac puncture Allexperiments were performed blindly

22 Histological Examination The dorsal skin (1 times 05 cm)was removed and fixed in 10 paraformaldehyde (Sigma StLouisMOUSA) Fixed tissueswere embedded in paraffin for24 h and serially sectioned to a thickness of 4120583m for histolog-ical analysis Tissue sections were stained with hematoxylinand eosin (HampE) and examined for general morphology Toassess epidermal and dermal hyperplasia in all four groups alltissue samples were examined and photographed in a blindedfashion Images were captured using the Leica ApplicationSuite (LAS Leica Microsystems Buffalo Grove IL USA) andviewed at times100 magnification

23 Measurement of Total Serum IgE Levels Blood sampleswere collected from the mice after sacrifice and serumsamples were obtained by centrifugation (14000timesg 30min)Total serum IgE levels of three group (119899 = 5) were measuredthree times repeatedly by an enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay (ELISA) kit (Cat no KT-401 Kamiya BiomedicalSeattle WA USA) following the manufacturerrsquos instructions

24 Detection of mRNA Expression by Reverse Transcrip-tion Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) To determinecytokine gene expression in the dorsal skin reverse-transcription PCR was performed Total RNA was extractedfrom the dorsal skin using TRIzol Reagent (Invitrogen CorpCarlsbad CA USA) following themanufacturerrsquos instructionand quantified by determining the OD at 260 nm PreparedcDNAs were amplified using commercially available cDNAsynthesis kits (Invitrogen Corp Carlsbad CA USA) accord-ing to the manufacturerrsquos recommendations Thermocyclerconditions consisted of an initial step at 4∘C for 5minfollowed by a step at 45∘C for 60min and 40 cycles of asubsequent 2-step PCRprogram at 95∘C for 5min Amplifica-tion of cDNAwas conductedwith Taq polymerase (Promega)and primers specific for tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) 120572interleukin- (IL-) 1120573 IL-4 IL-8 and GAPDH mRNA Theprimers used for amplificationwere synthesized using PrimerExpress Software (Applied Biosystems) and the sequencesof the primers used in this study are shown in Table 1The PCR cycles consisted of denaturation at 94∘C for 30 sannealing at 58∘C for 30 s and extension at 72∘C for 45 s for30 cycles PCR products were separated by electrophoresisthrough a 2agarose gel stainedwith ethidiumbromide and








3 Results







DNCBsensitizations


Day 17



(a)

LI11

(b)

NOR MPLPDNCB

(c)

0

50

100

150

NOR MPLPDNCB

Epid

erm

al th

ickn

ess (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(d)

0

200

400

600

800

NOR MPLPDNCB

Der

mal

thic

knes

s (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(e)





4 Discussion



NOR MPLPDNCB

lowastlowastlowast

0

100

200

300

400

Seru

m Ig

E (n

gm

L)

sectsect




Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-8

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-4

mRN

A

0

2

4

6

8

0

50

100

150

200

0

50

100

150

0

100

200

300

400

500



NOR DNCB LP MP

IL-4

IL-8

GAPDH

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowast

sectsectsect

sectsectsect

sectsect

Relat

ive l

evel

s of T

NF-120572

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-1120573

mRN

A

TNF-120572

IL-1120573

(a) (b)

(d)(c)


119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to




0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin











p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of























3 Results







DNCBsensitizations


Day 17



(a)

LI11

(b)

NOR MPLPDNCB

(c)

0

50

100

150

NOR MPLPDNCB

Epid

erm

al th

ickn

ess (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(d)

0

200

400

600

800

NOR MPLPDNCB

Der

mal

thic

knes

s (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(e)





4 Discussion



NOR MPLPDNCB

lowastlowastlowast

0

100

200

300

400

Seru

m Ig

E (n

gm

L)

sectsect




Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-8

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-4

mRN

A

0

2

4

6

8

0

50

100

150

200

0

50

100

150

0

100

200

300

400

500



NOR DNCB LP MP

IL-4

IL-8

GAPDH

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowast

sectsectsect

sectsectsect

sectsect

Relat

ive l

evel

s of T

NF-120572

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-1120573

mRN

A

TNF-120572

IL-1120573

(a) (b)

(d)(c)


119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to




0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin











p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of

















DNCBsensitizations


Day 17



(a)

LI11

(b)

NOR MPLPDNCB

(c)

0

50

100

150

NOR MPLPDNCB

Epid

erm

al th

ickn

ess (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(d)

0

200

400

600

800

NOR MPLPDNCB

Der

mal

thic

knes

s (120583

m)

lowastlowastlowast

(e)





4 Discussion



NOR MPLPDNCB

lowastlowastlowast

0

100

200

300

400

Seru

m Ig

E (n

gm

L)

sectsect




Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-8

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-4

mRN

A

0

2

4

6

8

0

50

100

150

200

0

50

100

150

0

100

200

300

400

500



NOR DNCB LP MP

IL-4

IL-8

GAPDH

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowast

sectsectsect

sectsectsect

sectsect

Relat

ive l

evel

s of T

NF-120572

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-1120573

mRN

A

TNF-120572

IL-1120573

(a) (b)

(d)(c)


119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to




0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin











p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of

















NOR MPLPDNCB

lowastlowastlowast

0

100

200

300

400

Seru

m Ig

E (n

gm

L)

sectsect




Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-8

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-4

mRN

A

0

2

4

6

8

0

50

100

150

200

0

50

100

150

0

100

200

300

400

500



NOR DNCB LP MP

IL-4

IL-8

GAPDH

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowastlowast

lowastlowast

sectsectsect

sectsectsect

sectsect

Relat

ive l

evel

s of T

NF-120572

mRN

A

Relat

ive l

evel

s of I

L-1120573

mRN

A

TNF-120572

IL-1120573

(a) (b)

(d)(c)


119875 lt 001 119875 lt 0001 compared to




0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin











p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of

















0

200

400

600

800

1000

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

NF-120581

B120573

-act

in le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NF-120581B

120573-Actin











p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of

















p-ERK

ERK

p-ER

KER

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

500

1000

1500

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(a)

p-JNK

JNK

p-JN

KJN

K le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

0

100

200

300

400

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowastlowast

sectsectsect

(b)

p-p38

p38

0

50

100

150

200

250

p-p3

8p3

8 le

vel

( o

f con

trol)

NOR DNCB LP MP

lowastlowast

sectsect

(c)







Acknowledgment


References














































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of

















































of






Disease Markers



OncologyJournal of





PPAR Research



Journal of

ObesityJournal of
















research article effects of acupuncture on 1-chloro-2,4...

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