Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound alleviating myelosuppression of Sprague-Dawley rats after combined treating by paclitaxel and carboplatin

BACKGROUND: Our team has previously reported that low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can alleviate myelosuppression in rats induced by single chemotherapy drugs. But in clinics, chemotherapy is often performed with multiple drugs simultaneously. To be closer to the clinical status quo, this experiment was designed to show whether it was the same effect of LIPUS on myelosuppression caused by combination therapy of chemotherapy drugs. METHODS: The rat model of myelosuppression was established by continuous injection of paclitaxel and carboplatin for 4 days. These myelosuppressive rats were randomly divided into LIPUS group (n=40) and control group (n=40). The LIPUS group was given continuous LIPUS irradiation for 7 days, while the control group was given sham irradiation (no energy output). The evaluation of blood cells counts, Hematoxylin-Eosin staining (H&E staining), scanning electron microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was then performed. RESULTS: The results showed in the LIPUS group the blood cells count, hematopoietic tissue of bone marrow, the colonies formed from adhering of bone marrow stromal cells, levels of hematopoietic regulators and adhesion molecules all increased (LIPUS group vs. control group, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that LIPUS can relieve myelosuppression induced by combined treatment of paclitaxel and carboplatin. The mechanisms may be LIPUS can increase the levels of hematopoietic regulators and adhesion molecules.