Reconstruction of lymphatic vessels in the mouse tail after cupping therapy

• Published in: Folia Morphologica
• Main Authors: F.-W. Meng, Z.-L. Gao, L. Li, L.-L. Jie, P.-F. Yang, Z. Liang, Y.-W. Gao, W.-H. Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Via Medica 2020-03-01
• Subjects: cupping; lymphatic regeneration; mice; LYVE-1; PROX1; CD34
• Online Access: https://journals.viamedica.pl/folia_morphologica/article/view/63572
• ISSN: 0015-5659; 1644-3284

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the regulatory mechanism of local lymphatic reconstruction after cupping therapy in a mouse model. Materials and methods: The lymphatic reconstruction process in the mouse tail after cupping therapy as well as the expression levels of the vascular endothelial identification molecule CD34, prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX1), and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) were investigated for a duration of 4 days through immunohistochemistry experiments. Results: On day 1 after cupping therapy, the CD34+ and LYVE-1+ cell densities were significantly increased, and the formed CD34+LYVE-1+ tubular structure started to express PROX1. This was followed by a decrease in both the CD34+ and LYVE-1+ stem cell densities to basal levels on the second day after cupping therapy. Both the CD34+ and LYVE-1+ cell densities subsequently increased again on the third day after cupping therapy. The increase in the LYVE-1+ density was accompanied by tubular structure formation, which is characteristic of lymphangiogenesis. In addition, the colocalisation of CD34+ and LYVE-1+ cells by immunohistochemistry suggests that the CD34+ stem cells differentiated into new lymphatic endothelial cells. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of cupping therapy involves upregulation of vascular and lymphatic endothelial markers (CD34+, LYVE-1+, and CD34+LYVE-1+) in local tissues, which in turn promotes local new lymphatic vessel formation through the expression of PROX1.