OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular biological mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion for relieving myelosuppression and increasing white blood cells.

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty-four clean male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, an acupuncture group and a moxibustion group, 56 mice in each group. The model of myelosuppression was made with Cyclophosphamide. In the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group, acupoints "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Geshu" (BL 17), "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) were used for treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion, respectively, while, in the control group and the model group, there were no treatment carried out except catching and fixing. The changes of bone marrow cell DNA pol beta and XPD between the 2nd and 7th day were examined with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSAcupuncture and moxibustion markedly up-regulated the expression of bone marrow cell DNA pol beta and XPD, and promoted the base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair, which leads to the relieving Cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression and increasing the number of white blood cells.

CONCLUSIONFor acupuncture and moxibustion, one of the bone major mechanisms in relieving post-chemotherapy myelosuppression, protecting hemopoietic function and increasing the white blood cells is that it can promote the repair of the bone marrow cell DNA excision and protect hemopoietic cells from injury by chemical drugs.