Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines
Abstract Background Moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, employs thermal stimulation from the combustion of Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot at acupoints to treat "deficiency-cold syndromes" (xuhan zheng), historically linked to immune dysfunction and chronic infla...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Chinese Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01134-w |
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| author | Weiming Shen Dan Hu Chenyuan Gong Cheng Fang Jiaojiao Luo Lixin Wang Chao Yao Huangan Wu Chen Zhao Shiguo Zhu |
| author_facet | Weiming Shen Dan Hu Chenyuan Gong Cheng Fang Jiaojiao Luo Lixin Wang Chao Yao Huangan Wu Chen Zhao Shiguo Zhu |
| author_sort | Weiming Shen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, employs thermal stimulation from the combustion of Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot at acupoints to treat "deficiency-cold syndromes" (xuhan zheng), historically linked to immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Modern pharmacological studies showed that grain-sized moxibustion (gM) enhances innate immune surveillance such as natural killer (NK) cell recruitment. However, its synergy with vaccine-induced adaptive immunity remains unexplored. Guided by the TCM principle of fu zheng qu xie (“fortify the host to dispel pathogens”), this study investigated whether gM augments cancer vaccine efficacy and validate the mechanistic basis of thermal acupoint stimulation in amplifying adaptive antitumor immunity. Methods In tumor-bearing mice model, gM was applied to the ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint. Adjuvant effects on the cancer vaccine were evaluated through flow cytometry, β-adrenergic receptor blockade, and cell depletion. Results gM synergized with the cancer vaccine, significantly suppressing tumor growth. Mechanistically, gM inhibited β-adrenergic signaling, driving DC maturation and subsequent coordination of CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell and NK cell responses. CD4+ T cells as primary effectors, with NK cells playing a secondary role. Propranolol mirrored gM’s effects, further enhancing DC activation and tumor suppression when combined with vaccination. Conclusion Both gM and β-blockers enhance cancer vaccine efficacy through β-adrenergic suppression and maturation of DC. These findings mechanistically bridge TCM’s fu zheng qu xie strategy with modern immunotherapy, positioning β-adrenergic modulation as a convergent target for traditional and pharmacological interventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7f56bda06cfc447fb0e123ecf0668f7d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1749-8546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chinese Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-7f56bda06cfc447fb0e123ecf0668f7d2025-08-20T03:16:41ZengBMCChinese Medicine1749-85462025-05-0120111310.1186/s13020-025-01134-wGrain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccinesWeiming Shen0Dan Hu1Chenyuan Gong2Cheng Fang3Jiaojiao Luo4Lixin Wang5Chao Yao6Huangan Wu7Chen Zhao8Shiguo Zhu9Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineYueyang Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineSchool of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineAbstract Background Moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, employs thermal stimulation from the combustion of Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot at acupoints to treat "deficiency-cold syndromes" (xuhan zheng), historically linked to immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Modern pharmacological studies showed that grain-sized moxibustion (gM) enhances innate immune surveillance such as natural killer (NK) cell recruitment. However, its synergy with vaccine-induced adaptive immunity remains unexplored. Guided by the TCM principle of fu zheng qu xie (“fortify the host to dispel pathogens”), this study investigated whether gM augments cancer vaccine efficacy and validate the mechanistic basis of thermal acupoint stimulation in amplifying adaptive antitumor immunity. Methods In tumor-bearing mice model, gM was applied to the ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint. Adjuvant effects on the cancer vaccine were evaluated through flow cytometry, β-adrenergic receptor blockade, and cell depletion. Results gM synergized with the cancer vaccine, significantly suppressing tumor growth. Mechanistically, gM inhibited β-adrenergic signaling, driving DC maturation and subsequent coordination of CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell and NK cell responses. CD4+ T cells as primary effectors, with NK cells playing a secondary role. Propranolol mirrored gM’s effects, further enhancing DC activation and tumor suppression when combined with vaccination. Conclusion Both gM and β-blockers enhance cancer vaccine efficacy through β-adrenergic suppression and maturation of DC. These findings mechanistically bridge TCM’s fu zheng qu xie strategy with modern immunotherapy, positioning β-adrenergic modulation as a convergent target for traditional and pharmacological interventions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01134-wCancer vaccineGrain-sized moxibustionβ-adrenergic receptorCD4+ T cellsDendritic cells |
| spellingShingle | Weiming Shen Dan Hu Chenyuan Gong Cheng Fang Jiaojiao Luo Lixin Wang Chao Yao Huangan Wu Chen Zhao Shiguo Zhu Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines Chinese Medicine Cancer vaccine Grain-sized moxibustion β-adrenergic receptor CD4+ T cells Dendritic cells |
| title | Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| title_full | Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| title_fullStr | Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| title_short | Grain-sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| title_sort | grain sized moxibustion activates dendritic cells to enhance the antitumor immunity of cancer vaccines |
| topic | Cancer vaccine Grain-sized moxibustion β-adrenergic receptor CD4+ T cells Dendritic cells |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01134-w |
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