Induction of heat-shock protein (hsp) by moxibustion.

Rats were treated by moxibustion at the point of hip muscle, and intramuscular temperature was kept at 40 degrees C for 15 minutes. The rats were sacrificed under deep anesthesia and the muscular tissues were excised immediately, three hours and 24 hours after stimulation. Proteins were extracted from the homogenized and centrifuged tissues of the stimulated rats and control rats. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the proteins was carried out. Heat-shock protein (hsp) with molecular weight of 70,000 (hsp 70), 85,000 (hsp 85) and 100,000 (hsp 100) was detected in rats sacrificed three hours after the stimulation by moxibustion. Protein patterns were analyzed and the ratios of the hsps were obtained.