Purpose: This study was developed to evaluate the effects of moxibustion on tumor microenvironmental hypoxia in a murine model of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC).
Methods: Twenty-four tumor-bearing mice were randomized into tumor group (T), tumor + cisplatin group (TC), tumor + moxibustion group (TM), and tumor + cisplatin + moxibustion group (TMC) (n = 6/group). Six age-matched C57BL/6 mice were employed as control group (Ctrl). A tumor model was established by implanting LLC cells into the right flank of each mouse. Animals in the TM group received moxibustion treatment at the ST36 (bilateral) and GV4 acupoints on the day of visible tumor formation. Moxibustion treatment was performed every other day for a total of 7 sessions. Animals in the TC group were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) on day 3 after visible tumor formation, and this treatment was performed every 3 days for 4 times. Animals in the TMC group underwent combined moxibustion and chemotherapy treatment, following the same conditions as outlined above. Following treatment, the concentrations of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD31, and Ki67 were measured using ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemical staining.
Results: Compared to the tumor group, treatment in the TM, TC, and TCM groups resulted in varying reductions in tumor growth (P < .001 or P < .05), while tumor microenvironmental hypoxia was alleviated as evidenced by the downregulation of HIF-1α, VEGFA, and CD31(P < .001-P < .05).
Conclusion: Our results suggest that a combined approach of moxibustion and cisplatin can alleviate intratumoral hypoxia, promote vascular normalization, and slow the growth of LLC tumors in mice.
Keywords: animal research; cisplatin; lung cancer; moxibustion; tumor microenvironment.