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. (Folia Morphol 2020; 79, 1: 98–104)
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