title: Heat induces adenosine triphosphate release from mast cells in vitro: a putative mechanism for moxibustion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) purinergic signaling in mast cells (MCs) modulated by heat to further understand the molecular mechanisms of moxibustion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin temperatures induced by monkshood cake moxibustion were evaluated by measuring the Neiguan acupoint (PC 6) from 31 participants with a digital thermocouple thermometer. Temperatures of 43 °C and 52 °C were applied to cultured human leukemia mast cell line HMC-1 in vitro. Calcium fluorescence was applied to detect intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]). Extracellular ATP contents were measured by luciferin-luciferase assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximum skin temperatures mostly ranged from 40-45 °C , but some reached up to 50 °C. Both 43 °C and 52 °C induced MC degranulation, which was accompanied by an increase in [Ca2+] and ATP release. Complexing extracellular Ca2+ with 5 mM ethylene glycol-bis (β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) inhibited the noxious, heat-induced elevation of [Ca2+]i and prevented the enhanced ATP secretion by those. cells at 52 °C, but not 43 °C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monkshood cake moxibustion can generate heat sufficient to trigger cellular events of MCs, including degranulation, [Ca2+]i elevation, and ATP release, suggesting that purinergic signals originating from MCs are possibly the initiating response of acupoints to moxibustion.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianzi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Grygorczyk
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ryszard
authors.forename: Xueyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Schwarz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolfgang
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009071:Moxibustion; D012881:Skin Temperature; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002118:Calcium