Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy Induces Early Plasma Cytokine Release and Mobilization of a Population of Blood Dendritic Cells

Abstract

It has been claimed that osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is able to enhance the immune response of individuals. In particular, it has been reported that OMT has the capability to increase antibody titers, enhance the efficacy of vaccination, and upregulate the numbers of circulating leukocytes. Recently, it has been shown in human patients suffering chronic low back pain, that OMT is able to modify the levels of cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α in blood upon repeated treatment. Further, experimental animal models show that lymphatic pump techniques can induce a transient increase of cytokines in the lymphatic circulation. Taking into account all these data, we decided to investigate in healthy individuals the capacity of OMT to induce a rapid modification of the levels of cytokines and leukocytes in circulation. Human volunteers were subjected to a mixture of lymphatic and thoracic OMT, and shortly after the levels of several cytokines were evaluated by protein array technology and ELISA multiplex analysis, while the profile and activation status of circulating leukocytes was extensively evaluated by multicolor flow cytometry. In addition, the levels of nitric oxide and C-reactive protein (CRP) in plasma were determined. In this study, our results show that OMT was not able to induce a rapid modification in the levels of plasma nitrites or CRP or in the proportion or activation status of central memory, effector memory or naïve CD4 and CD8 T cells. A significant decrease in the proportion of a subpopulation of blood dendritic cells was detected in OMT patients. Significant differences were also detected in the levels of immune molecules such as IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1α and most notably, G-CSF. Thus, OMT is able to induce a rapid change in the immunological profile of particular circulating cytokines and leukocytes.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment showed reduction of length of stay and costs in preterm infants

“…Findings were confirmed by a research article published in 2014 where significant differences were detected in the levels of immune molecules, including IL-8, between OMT and sham light-touch control. [44] OMT, therefore, could have an effect on the immunological profile of specific circulating cytokines and leukocytes. Nevertheless, the lack of specific studies on newborns prevents any formal assumption on the biological effects of osteopathy on this population, calling, therefore, for more systematic and pragmatic trials.…”

Inhibitory Tests as Assessment Tools for Somatic Dysfunctions: Mechanisms and Practical Applications

“…In addition to other functions, these areas also contribute to the interpretation of interoceptions, emotions, and pain, with the possibility of modifying the initial conditions of the neuromatrix, favoring a different interpretation of pain and central desensitization [33,[36][37]. Therefore, these fibers apparently have a great modulatory capacity of interoceptive information enabling adaptations of the autonomic nervous system, altering the levels of immune cells and cytokines present there [38][39].…”

The Other Side of the Fascia: Visceral Fascia, Part 2

“…Fascial OMT has multiple positive local and systemic clinical results. It improves the response of the parasympathetic system, by decreasing heart rate and breathing rhythm; it improves neuromuscular coordination; it reduces the systemic inflammation indexes (pro-inflammatory cytokines); it improves the interoceptive response; and it raises the pain threshold (medullary and central) [24][25][26][27]. The fascial OMT reduces the hospital length of stay and allows to reach early clinical stability [28][29][30][31].…”