Effect of internal heat-type acupuncture needle therapy on the expression of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-3 and osteopontin in the subchondral bone of rabbit knee osteoarthritis model

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.3159

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Internal heat-type acupuncture needle therapy is an updated physical therapy method based on warm-needle moxibustion therapy with a dual effect of acupuncture and thermal therapy. It has significant clinical effect in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, but there is no full understanding of its specific mechanism.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of internal heat-type acupuncture needle on the expression of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinases-3, and osteopontin in the subchondral bone of a rabbit knee osteoarthritis model as well as the possible mechanism of action.
METHODS: A total of 30 New Zealand rabbits (specific-pathogen-free level) were divided into a blank group, a model group and a treatment group by a random digital table, with 10 rabbits in each group. A model of knee osteoarthritis was made in the left hind leg of the rabbit by Hulth’s method. The treatment group was given internal heat-type acupuncture needle on the left hind limb knee joint, once a week, for 20 minutes once. The blank group and the model group received no intervention. Knee joint sampling was performed after behavioral evaluation using the modified Lequesne MG scale after 4 weeks of intervention. Toluidine blue staining was used to observe the morphological changes of subchondral bone tissue of rabbits in each group. Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect the expressions of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinases-3, and osteopontin protein and mRNA in the subchondral bone of the rabbits. The animal experiment protocol was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Review Committee of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University (approval No. 2018064).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the blank group, behavioral scores were significantly increased in the model group and treatment group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, behavioral scores were significantly decreased in the treatment group (P < 0.05), and the difference between the two groups was significantly enlarged after intervention (P < 0.05). Compared with the blank group, the percentage of subchondral bone trabecular area, trabecular thickness and trabecular number were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05), while trabecular spacing was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the blank group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of type I collagen were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.001), while the protein and mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases-3 and osteopontin were significantly increased (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, the percentage of trabecular area and trabecular number were significantly increased in the treatment group (P < 0.05), while trabecular spacing was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of type I collagen were significantly increased in the treatment group (P < 0.05), while the protein and mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases-3 and osteopontin were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Moreover, the change of type I collagen level was positively correlated with the percentage of trabecular area and the trabecular number, but negatively correlated with trabecular spacing. The changes of osteopontin, matrix metalloproteinases-3 and their ratio were negatively correlated with the percentage of trabecular area and trabecular number, and positively correlated with trabecular spacing. To conclude, internal heat-type acupuncture needle may restore subchondral bone microstructure through up-regulating type I collagen expression and down-regulating matrix metalloproteinases-3 and osteopontin expression.

Key words: internal heat-type acupuncture needle, knee osteoarthritis, subchondral bone, bone metabolism, bone remodeling

CLC Number:

Zhu Shiqiang, Xu Jianfeng, Hei Xiaoyan, Chen Yundong, Tian Xinbao, Zhang Jinchen, Lin Ruizhu. Effect of internal heat-type acupuncture needle therapy on the expression of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-3 and osteopontin in the subchondral bone of rabbit knee osteoarthritis model[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2021, 25(17): 2636-2642.

Figures/Tables 7

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