How Acupuncture Changes Neuropeptide Levels in Asthmatic Rat Lungs
Acupuncture altered levels of substance P, VIP, and neurokinins in the lungs of asthmatic rats, partially reversing the neuropeptide imbalance seen in airway inflammation.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
In a rat model of bronchial asthma, acupuncture altered the levels of several neuropeptides in lung tissue. Asthmatic rats showed decreased vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and cAMP/cGMP ratios alongside increased substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA), and neurokinin B (NKB). Acupuncture treatment partially reversed these changes — increasing cAMP/cGMP while decreasing NKA, NKB, and SP — and improved lung tissue pathology.
When the adrenal glands were removed before acupuncture, the peptide-level improvements were blunted, suggesting that acupuncture's effects on airway neuropeptides depend partly on intact adrenal (glucocorticoid) function.
Key Numbers
n=50 rats · 5 groups of 10 · Peptides measured: SP, VIP, NKA, NKB · cAMP/cGMP ratio assessed · 5 acupoints stimulated
How They Did This
Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: normal control, asthma model, asthma + acupuncture, adrenalectomy + asthma, and adrenalectomy + asthma + acupuncture. Asthma was induced with ovalbumin. Acupuncture was applied at five specific points. Lung tissue was examined with HE staining and immunohistochemistry for SP, VIP, NKA, and NKB. cAMP/cGMP was measured by ELISA.
Why This Research Matters
This study provides mechanistic evidence that neuropeptides like substance P, VIP, and the neurokinins are actively involved in the airway inflammation of asthma — and that their levels can be modulated by external stimulation. Understanding how these peptides contribute to bronchoconstriction and inflammation could inform future peptide-based approaches to respiratory disease.
The Bigger Picture
Substance P, VIP, and the neurokinins are increasingly recognized as key players in airway inflammation beyond their roles in pain and digestion. This study adds to evidence that neuropeptide imbalances contribute to asthma pathology and can be modulated, which could eventually inform peptide-based respiratory therapies.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
This is an animal study in rats, which may not translate to human asthma. The sample size is small (10 per group). The acupuncture methodology is difficult to blind or standardize, and the study was open-label. No dose-response or time-course data were reported for the peptide changes.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would targeting substance P or neurokinin receptors directly have stronger anti-asthma effects than acupuncture?
- ?Do similar neuropeptide changes occur in human asthma lungs, and could they serve as biomarkers?
- ?Could VIP supplementation or analogs be therapeutic for airway inflammation?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 4 neuropeptides altered in asthmatic lungs Substance P, VIP, neurokinin A, and neurokinin B all showed significant changes in asthmatic rat lungs — and acupuncture partially normalized these peptide levels.
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a small animal study (50 rats) using an ovalbumin asthma model. While it provides mechanistic insights about neuropeptides in airway disease, animal studies are low on the evidence hierarchy and results may not translate to humans.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020. The neuropeptide findings about substance P and VIP in asthma remain relevant to ongoing research in neurogenic airway inflammation.
- Original Title:
- Influence of acupuncture on the expression of VIP, SP, NKA and NKB, cAMP/cGMP and HE content and treatment of bronchial asthma in rats.
- Published In:
- Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 66(5), 29-35 (2020)
- Authors:
- Chen, Yujuan(2), Gao, Yanlu, Lu, Wenwen, Gao, Wei
- Database ID:
- RPEP-04713
Evidence Hierarchy
Tests effects in animals (usually mice or rats), not humans.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What neuropeptides are involved in asthma?
This study identified four key neuropeptides in asthmatic rat lungs: substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), neurokinin A, and neurokinin B. In asthma, pro-inflammatory peptides (SP, NKA, NKB) increase while the protective peptide VIP decreases, contributing to airway constriction and inflammation.
Can acupuncture change peptide levels in the lungs?
In this rat study, acupuncture partially reversed the neuropeptide imbalances seen in asthma — reducing inflammatory peptides and improving signaling ratios. However, this is animal research and hasn't been confirmed in humans. The effect also depended on intact adrenal glands.
Read More on RethinkPeptides
Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-04713APA
Chen, Yujuan; Gao, Yanlu; Lu, Wenwen; Gao, Wei. (2020). Influence of acupuncture on the expression of VIP, SP, NKA and NKB, cAMP/cGMP and HE content and treatment of bronchial asthma in rats.. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 66(5), 29-35.
MLA
Chen, Yujuan, et al. "Influence of acupuncture on the expression of VIP, SP, NKA and NKB, cAMP/cGMP and HE content and treatment of bronchial asthma in rats.." Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, 2020.
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Influence of acupuncture on the expression of VIP, SP, NKA a..." RPEP-04713. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/chen-2020-influence-of-acupuncture-on
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.