RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of intranasal acupuncture on allergic rhinitis (AR), and expression of substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) proteins in the nasal mucosa and contents of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in AR rabbits, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of AR. METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal control, AR model, non-acupuoint acupuncture (NAA) and intranasal acupuncture (INA) groups, with 8 rabbits in each group. The AR model was established by intra-peritoneal injection of egg protein and nasal mucosal stimulation. In the INA group, bilateral "Neiyingxiang" (EX-HN9) within the nasal cavity (the anterior attachment area of the inferior turbinate, about 1 cm away from the nasal limen) were acupunctured by mani-pulating the filiform needles for a while with uniform reinforcing and reducing methods, followed by keeping the needles for 20 min. In the NAA group, shallow acupuncture was applied to the skin of the outer margin of the cheeks, followed by keeping the needle for 20 min. The acupuncture treatment was conducted once every other day for 7 days. The symptoms of sneezing frequency, nasal secretion amount and nasal itching were scored. The expression levels of SP, VIP and NPY in the nasal mucosa tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the serum IgE, IL-4, and IFN-γ contents were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: After modelling, the symptom score, expression of SP and VIP, and serum IgE and IL-4 contents were significantly higher (P<0.01,P<0.05), NPY expression and serum IFN-γ content significantly lower (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the model group than in the normal control group. Following the intervention, the symptom scores, expressions of SP and VIP, and serum IgE and IL-4 contents were remarkably decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the NPY expression and serum IFN-γ content were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the INA group than in the model group. The effects of INA group were significantly superior to those of NAA group in reducing symptom score, SP and VIP expression, and serum IgE and IL-4 contents and up-regulating NPY expression and IFN-γcontent (P<0.05, P<0.01). There were a positive correlation between the expressions of SP and VIP and contents of serum IgE and IL-4 (P<0.05), and a negative correlation between the expressions of SP and VIP and IFN-γ content (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: INA treatment can relieve symptoms of AR in AR rabbits, which may be associated with its effects in regulating the expression of SP, VIP and NPY of the nasal mucosa, and contents of serum IgE, IL-4 and IFN-γ to improve neurogenic inflammation.