Electroacupuncture targets `β2-adrenergic receptor`, reversing eosinophil infiltration and inflammation in mouse allergic rhinitis.

Eosinophils amplify type-2 (Th2) inflammation and tissue injury in allergic rhinitis (AR), and eosinophilic burden correlates with disease severity and future asthma risk. Current AR therapies often have limitations, motivating interest in non-pharmacologic neuromodulatory approaches. Eosinophils have traditionally been viewed as terminal effector cells driving tissue damage, but emerging evidence suggests they also possess immunoregulatory functions. Understanding these context-dependent roles is crucial for developing precision therapeutic strategies that go beyond broad immunosuppression.

Researchers investigated electroacupuncture (EA) as an eosinophil-targeting treatment in a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis. Mice were induced with OVA to establish AR. Two treatments were compared: EA and a comparator (CLP, likely a control or another intervention). The study assessed various markers, including IL-5, IL-13, serum OVA-specific IgE, nasal eosinophil infiltration, RNASE2A expression, mast cell degranulation, and MCPT1 expression, to evaluate treatment efficacy and underlying mechanisms.