Plasma cupping induces VEGF expression in skin cells through nitric oxide-mediated activation of hypoxia inducible factor 1.

ABSTRACT: Despite a long history, the clinical efficacy of cupping therapy is still under debate. This is likely due to the lack of direct evidence for the biological actions of cupping, since the short exposure of cells to vacuum condition rarely has affects cellular activity. In this study, the medicinal properties of a recent medical technology, non-thermal plasma, were added to classical cupping and designated as 'plasma cupping' (PC). In our results, the plasma-generating efficacy was increased under a cupping-like semi-vacuum condition (410 Torr) rather than normal atmospheric pressure (760 Torr). Notably, while cupping rarely affects the angiogenic factor vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, the PC treatment on HaCaT human keratinocytes significantly induced the expression of VEGF-A.

SUBMITTER: Lee HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6405951 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature