AUTHOR=Yang Ming , Wan Yuxiang , Jiang Xin , Qi Xuewei , Wang Lina , Liu Zeyu , Song Xiaojing , Pan Lin , Sun Weiliang , Zhao Wei , Huang Jinchang , Lian Zenglin 

TITLE=Electro-Acupuncture Promotes Accumulation of Paclitaxel by Altering Tumor Microvasculature and Microenvironment in Breast Cancer of Mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2019.00576

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2019.00576

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>Targeted drug delivery could increase the efficacy of chemotherapy, however, a plethora of obstacles exist in the current targeted delivery designs. In this study, we introduce a novel avenue of targeted drug delivery using electro-acupuncture and evaluate its effect on the distribution of paclitaxel in a breast cancer mouse model. Our results show that electro-acupuncture intervention significantly increased the intratumoral concentration of paclitaxel. The mice in acupuncture group showed shorter <italic>t</italic><sub>max</sub>, longer <italic>t</italic><sub>1/2</sub> and higher AUC of paclitaxel as compared with that in paclitaxel-only group. Moreover, we found that the acupuncture intervention significantly induced cell apoptosis in tumors. The levels of COL IV and α-SMA increased in tumors of acupuncture group. The negative tumor metastasis biomarker, NM23, was significantly upregulated in tumors of mice in acupuncture group. Our results suggest that acupuncture intervention around the tumor area increases the local concentration of chemotherapeutic agents. The targeted effect of acupuncture is achieved by altering tumor microvasculature and microenvironment. Therefore, combined therapy of acupuncture with chemotherapeutic agents is promising in improving cancer treatment efficacy.</p>