OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular biological mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion (A&M) in reducing chemotherapy-related toxicity, relieving myelosuppression and increasing peripheral white blood cells (WBC).

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty-four male Kunming mice of clean grade were randomized equally into 4 groups, the blank control group (A), the model group (B), the acupuncture group (C), and the moxibustion group (D). Except those in Group A, mice were duplicated into myelosuppression model with cyclophosphamide (CTX) using the accepted method. After being modeled, mice in Group C and D were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion respectively, once a day for 7 successive days, while those in Group A and B were dealt with the same actions (seizing and fixing) every day but no therapy was given. From day 2 to day 7 of the treatment, 8 mice were taken from every group per day and killed in batches. Their peripheral WBC was counted and bone marrow for detecting Cyclin D1 expression and percentages of bone marrow cells in different cycle stages using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometer respectively.

RESULTSWBC count restored to exceed the baseline in group C and D at day 5 of the treatment, being one day earlier than that in group B. Cyclin D1 expression in the bone marrow raised in Group C and D, and reached the peak at day 4, showing significant difference as compared with that in Group B (P < 0.01). The phase G1 marrow cell percentages in Group C and D was lower than that in Group B at all days of detection, showing statistical significance at day 2-4 (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); while the percentages of phase S and G2-M cells in the two treated groups was higher than that in group B all the times.

CONCLUSIONSWhile CTX damaged marrow cells, it intervened the cell cycle regularity and reduced the DNA content to cause myelosuppression and leucocytopenia. A&M therapy could improve the Cyclin D1 expression, speed up the cell transition from phase G1 to phase S and increase the synthesis of DNA. At the mean time, taking advantage of the block at phase G2, it can repair the injured DNA, speed up cell mitosis for turning into multiplication, improve the anti-injury and repairing ability of cells to protect bone marrow cells, and relieve the myelosuppression.