Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion at "Zusanli"(ST 36)-"Liangmen"(ST 21) on proliferation and apoptosis of gastric mucosal cells and the relationship between the effect of moxibustion and the expression of heat shock protein 70(HSP70) mRNA so as to explore the underlying molecular biological mechanism of moxibustion in accelerating the repair of the injured gastric mucosa. Methods: Sixty SD rats were randomly assigned to control

model

moxibustion-ST 36+ST 21 and moxibustion non-acupoint groups with 15 cases in each group.Gastric ulcer model was established by fasting(24 h) and forced water(20 ℃) immersion(10 h).Moxibustion was applied to unilateral ST 36

ST 21 or non-acupoint(about 1 cm lateral to ST 21 and ST 36) for about 30 min(4 cones/point)

once daily and continuously for 8 days.At the end of the experiments

the rat's gastric mucosa was sampled for examining gastromucosal injury index(ulcer index

UI

GUTH's method)

apoptosis index(apoptosis reagent kit)

proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA

immunohistochemical method) activity

transforming growth factor α(TGF-α) content(radioimmunoassay)

and HSP70 mRNA expression(reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction

RT-PCR) separately. Results: Compared with control group

gastric mucosal UI

apoptosis index and HSP70 mRNA expression of model group increased significantly(P<0.01

0.05)

while TGF-α content and PCNA numerical density decreased remarkably(P<0.01

0.05).While in comparison with model group

UI and apoptosis index of ST 36+ST 21 group lowered considerably(P<0.01

0.05)

and TGF-α level

PCNA numerical density

and HSP70 mRNA expression of ST 36+ST 21 group increased remarkably(P<0.01).No significant differences were found between model and non-acupoint groups in UI

TGF-α leveland apoptosis index

and between ST 36+ST 21 and non-acupoint groups in PCNA numerical density(P>0.05). Conclusion: Moxibustion at "Zusanli"(ST 36)+"Liangmen"(ST 21) has a protective effect on gastromucosa in stress gastric ulcer rats

which is closely related to its actions in promoting synthesis of TGF-α and proliferation of gastromucosal cells

suppressing gastromucosal cell apoptosis

and upregulating HSP70 mRNA expression.