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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 4: 832 - 843

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.04.006

Original Articles

Electroacupuncture enhances CD8+ T cells recruitment via modulating sympathetic nervous system to suppress tumor growth in mice bearing triple-negative breast cancer

  • TIAN Yehong ,
  • ZHANG Qiaoli ,
  • ZHANG Rui ,
  • GAO Tao ,
  • LI Nanzhi ,
  • HUANG Jinchang ,
  • JIANG Xin ,
  • QIU Xiaowei
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  • 1 College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712000, China
    2 Department of Acupuncture and Minimally Invasive Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
    3 Department of Encephalopathy Medicine, BeiJing Chaoyang Intergrative Medicine Rescue and First Aid Hospital, Beijing 100022, China
QIU Xiaowei, Department of Encephalopathy Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Intergrative Medicine Rescue and First Aid Hospital, Beijing 100022, China. dcqiuxiaowei@sina.com;
JIANG Xin, Department of Acupuncture and Minimally Invasive Oncology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. jxbucm@163.com,Telephone: +86-18182538201; +86-18311371983

Received date: 2025-06-16

  Accepted date: 2025-11-04

  Online published: 2026-08-08

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China: Exploring the Anti-tumor Mechanism of Peritumoral Needling Promoting CD8+ T Lymphocyte Recruitment of Breast Cancer Based on Neural Reprogramming(82305396);Scientific Research Project of Shaanxi Academy of Basic Research: Study on the Mechanism of Sympathetic Nerve Reprogramming Promoting CD8+ T Cell Recruitment in Triple-negative Breast Cancer Mice for Peritumoral Electroacupuncture Based on Histone Deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) Histone Modification(22JHQ089)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether peritumoral electroacupuncture (EA) suppresses tumor growth viaCD8+ T cell infiltration mediated by sympathetic nervous system (SNS) regulation.

METHODS: Utilizing a mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the SNS was activated through chronic restraint stress (CRS); chemical sympathetic denervation was induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). The anti-tumor and immune regulatory effects of EA were evaluated by multidimensional methods, including in vivobioluminescence imaging, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS: Peritumoral EA decreased the volume and weight of tumors within 22 d after the implantation. Intratumoral CD8+ T cells significantly increased after EA. C-C motif chemokine ligand 5, as a chemokine that recruits effector T cells to the tumor microenvironment, also up-regulated. Meanwhile, EA reduced intratumoral sympathetic innervation and norepinephrine level. Subsequently, we found CRS significantly accelerates tumor growth and reduces the density of CD8+ T cell infiltration. However, EA reversed the tumor-promoting effect and immune suppression caused by CRS effectively. Furthermore, chemical sympathetic ablation with 6-OHDA revealed that the anti-tumor effect of EA was dependent on sympathetic integrity, as the ablation impaired both tumor-suppressing effect and CD8+ T cell recruitment mediated by EA.

CONCLUSION: EA enhances anti-tumor immunity through SNS emphasizing the effective remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment in mice with TNBC by neuro-immune interactions.

Key words： electroacupuncture; sympathetic nerve; triple negative breast neoplasms; immume; tumor microenvironment

Cite this article

TIAN Yehong , ZHANG Qiaoli , ZHANG Rui , GAO Tao , LI Nanzhi , HUANG Jinchang , JIANG Xin , QIU Xiaowei . Electroacupuncture enhances CD8+ T cells recruitment via modulating sympathetic nervous system to suppress tumor growth in mice bearing triple-negative breast cancer[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026 , 46(4) : 832 -843 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.04.006

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