Effect of Pressure Stresses on Cell Viability and Protein Expression of Fascial Fibroblast

Background: Many physical and mechanical phenomena occur during the acupuncture and tuina regime, and pressure is one of the most basic mechanical phenomena. Objectives: To understand the cellular bio-physical mechanism of basic mechanical stimulation via acupuncture and tuina by investigating the effect of different in vitro pressures on the cell viability and protein expression differences that originate from the facial fibroblasts around the meridians. Materials and Methods: In vitro culture of the facial fibroblasts around the meridians was conducted using different pressures to perform single and multiple stimulation(s) on the cells. Thus, the changes in the fibroblast cell viability (cell viability rate and diameter) were tested, and changes in the fibroblast protein expression were observed. Results: We found that the pressure stimulation may excite the fascial fibroblast viability at the acupoint and increase cell viability. Two interactive factors are involved: the pressure intensity and the number of pressure stimulations. In addition, we found that all three pressures lead to significant regulation effects on the protein expression of the meridian-related fascial tissue fibroblasts, and clustering analysis revealed that 100 kPa pressure stimulation exhibits the most evident effect on the protein expression which is the pressure inducing the most differentiated protein expression. Conclusions: During the in vitro pressure process, the difference in the cell viability rate and protein expression of the facial fibroblasts around the meridians may (from a cell mechanics’ point-of-view) reveal the cytobiological and therapeutic mechanism of the basic mechanical stimulation via acupuncture and tuina on the facial fibroblasts around the meridians.