New evidence finds acupuncture effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by regulating immune-system genes that control inflammation. The research maps how acupuncture affects gene networks involved in RA. The analysis identifies five genes—STAT1, GAPDH, JAK2, PTGS2, and MDM2—that appear to be centrally involved in the therapeutic effects associated with acupuncture. [1]
The researchers report that acupuncture influences a major signaling system in the immune response called the JAK/STAT pathway. This pathway works like a chain of messages that immune cells use when responding to inflammation. STAT1, one of the key genes identified, acts as a central “on–off switch” inside immune cells. When certain inflammatory signals reach the cell, STAT1 helps turn these signals into instructions that increase inflammation. The study found that STAT1 is deeply interconnected with acupuncture-related gene changes, suggesting that acupuncture may help moderate this overly activated inflammatory response in RA. [1]
JAK2 is another part of the same pathway. If STAT1 is the “switch,” JAK2 can be thought of as the “initial electrical current” that activates the system. By identifying both STAT1 and JAK2, the researchers propose that acupuncture may regulate the beginning and the downstream signaling steps of inflammation. [2]
The study also highlighted the PTGS2 gene, which helps the body produce prostaglandins—chemical compounds responsible for swelling, heat, and pain in inflamed joints. PTGS2 is the same gene targeted by medications such as COX-2 inhibitors. Acupuncture influences PTGS2 and reduces inflammatory chemicals naturally, contributing to reductions in joint swelling and discomfort documented in clinical studies. [1]
To investigate how acupuncture may act within the immune system, the researchers used modern computational tools to examine immune-cell behavior. They found that genes associated with acupuncture were linked to changes in key cell types that drive RA, including inflammatory macrophages, activated CD4+ T-cells, B-cells that produce antibodies, and regulatory T-cells that help calm the immune system. In simpler terms, acupuncture appears to influence both the immune cells that escalate inflammation and the cells that help bring inflammation back under control. This aligns with current scientific understanding of RA as a disease characterized by overactive, unbalanced immune responses in the joints. [2]
Although Li and colleagues conducted a computational study rather than a hands-on clinical trial, their findings help explain the improvements observed in earlier patient-based acupuncture studies. Prior RA trials showed that acupuncture at points such as LI4 (Hegu), LI11 (Quchi), ST36 (Zusanli), SP6 (Sanyinjiao), and GB34 (Yanglingquan), using 0.25–0.30 mm filiform needles inserted generally 10–25 mm depending on muscle thickness, with retention times of about 20–30 minutes, provided measurable reductions in pain and improvements in joint mobility. Electroacupuncture studies using 2–10 Hz stimulation between paired acupoints also produced clinically meaningful changes, with amplitude increased to achieve mild muscle twitch without discomfort. These outcomes have been linked in prior research to reductions in inflammatory markers and improved subjective ratings of pain and stiffness. [3] [4]
The analysis supports a possible biological explanation for why these clinical improvements occur. By showing that acupuncture-related genes overlap with RA-related inflammatory genes, particularly in pathways involving STAT1 and JAK2, the study offers a bridge between acupuncture practice and modern immunology. It suggests that needling may send signals that alter how immune cells communicate and how they produce inflammation-driving molecules. This provides a plausible mechanism for the pain relief and functional improvements documented in patient-centered trials.
The PTGS2 findings are especially relevant for clinicians, since PTGS2 is directly tied to the synthesis of inflammatory prostaglandins in the synovial tissue of RA patients. Acupuncture down-regulating PTGS2 offers meaningful insight into a well-characterized biochemical pathway known to produce pain and swelling. Similarly, the involvement of MDM2 points to the regulation of cellular turnover and immune-cell activity, while GAPDH serves as a metabolic regulator linked to immune-cell energy use. Together these findings suggest that acupuncture does not operate through a single linear pathway but through coordinated shifts in multiple gene networks that influence how inflammation develops and resolves. [1]
In summary, the 2025 study by Li and colleagues advances the scientific understanding of acupuncture by linking it to specific immune and inflammatory pathways central to RA. By explaining these mechanisms in the language of modern molecular biology, it shows how traditional acupuncture practice may intersect with cutting-edge research on immune regulation, helping clinicians articulate and measure its effects in a biomedical framework. The identification of STAT1, JAK2, PTGS2, GAPDH, and MDM2 as central regulatory genes provides direction for future clinical trials and supports the continued use of acupuncture as a thoughtful, evidence-informed component of RA management.
References:
[1] Li, F., Liu, Z., Xu, Y., et al. “Potential mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for rheumatoid arthritis: a study based on network topology and machine learning.” Chinese Medicine 20 (2025): 164.
[2] Li, F., et al., “Potential mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for rheumatoid arthritis,” PubMed ID 41053877.
[3] Li, H., et al. “Clinical efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.” Frontiers in Medicine (2022).
[4] Wang, S., Xue, Y.H., Liang, L.B., et al. “Electroacupuncture demonstrated the highest efficacy for rheumatoid arthritis pain relief.” PubMed ID 41102052.
