title: [Effects of acupuncture-moxibustion on contents of IL-12 and TNF-α in spleen of cyclophosphamide- induced cancer-bearing mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the molecular biology mechanism of acupuncture on improving immune function damage induced by chemotherapy in cancer-bearing mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two mice (36 mice in 3-day treatment and 5-day treatment, respectively) which were successfully made into cancer-bearing model were divided into a blank group, a model group, an acupuncture group and a moxibustion group by stratified randomization method, 9 mice in each one. Except for the mice in the blank group, the remaining mice were treated with intra-peritoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX, 150 mg/kg), to establish the cancer-bearing mice of CTX. The mice in the blank group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% NaCl (identical dose as other groups). After 4 h, the mice in the acupuncture group and moxibustion group were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Geshu" (BL 17), "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Zusanli" (ST 36), once a day. The mice in the blank group and model group were treated with immobilization and fixation during the same time. On the next day of the end of 3-day and 5-day treatment, the sample was collected. The ELISA method was applied to measure the contents of IL-12 and TNF-α in spleen of all the mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3-day and 5-day treatment, compared with the blank group, the contents of IL-12 and TNF-α in spleen in the model group were reduced (all P < 0.05); compared with the model group, the contents of IL-12 and TNF-α in spleen in the acupuncture group and moxibustion group were increased (all P < 0.05), but the content of IL-12 and TNF-α in the acupuncture group was not different from that in the moxibustion group (both P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture and moxibustion could effectively increase the contents of IL-12 and TNF-α in spleen of CTX cancer-bearing mice, which could relieve chemotherapy-induced immune function damage to improve immune function.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yanchao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Daming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yingchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009071:Moxibustion; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D003520:Cyclophosphamide