veterinary sciences Review Research Progress on the Mechanism of the Acupuncture Regulating Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Network System Jingwen Cui 1,2,†, Wanrong Song 1,2,†, Yipeng Jin 1,†, Huihao Xu 1, Kai Fan 1, Degui Lin 1, Zhihui Hao 1,2,* and Jiahao Lin 1,2,* 1 College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China;
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[email protected] (D.L.) 2 Center of Research and Innovation of Chinese Traditional Veterinary Medicine, Beijing 100193, China * Correspondence:
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[email protected] (J.L.) † These authors contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors. Abstract: As one of the conventional treatment methods, acupuncture is an indispensable component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently, acupuncture has been partly accepted throughout the world, but the mechanism of acupuncture is still unclear. Since the theory of the neuro-endocrine- immune network was put forward, new insights have been brought into the understanding of the mechanism of acupuncture. Studies have proven that acupuncture is a mechanical stimulus that can activate local cell functions and neuroreceptors. It also regulates the release of related biomolecules (peptide hormones, lipid hormones, neuromodulators and neurotransmitters, and other small and large biomolecules) in the microenvironment, where they can affect each other and further activate the neuroendocrine-immune network to achieve holistic regulation. Recently, Citation: Cui, J.; Song, W.; Jin, Y.; Xu, growing efforts have been made in the research on the mechanism of acupuncture.