The Effect Of Electro-acupuncture On Expression Of TGF-β1in Synovial Fluid Of The Rabbit Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective:Osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease, more occurs in the elderly population, can be manifest as the degradation of articular cartilage, limited intra-articular synovitis, and periarticular lesions and endochondral bone formation, joint pain, stiffness, functional deterioration involved as well. The anabatic symptoms severely decrease the quality of patient’s life at the advanced stage. The pathogenesis of OA has not been elucidated, it is believed that lots of factors were participated in, interacted with each other, and led to the disbalance of synthesis and degradation in joint articular chondrocytes, extracellular matrix and subchondral bone. Current treatment is symptomatic-based, it’s difficult to find a means be able to control the OA disease progression. Electro-acupuncture(EA) as a product of the combination of traditional acupuncture and modern electricity, not only has the advantages of acupuncture treatment, but also the physiological effects of electricity, enhances the common acupuncture treatment, is now widely used clinically.TGF-β1as a multifunctional cytokine, plays an important role in a variety of physiological processes of the body. It also plays a key role in maintenance of articular cartilage. This study, through detecting the concentration of TGF-β1in the synovial fluid of the rabbit knee osteoarthritis model, aim to observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on expression of TGF-β1in the synovial fluid of the rabbit knee osteoarthritis, and by the role of TGF-β1in the pathogenesis of OA to investigate the mechanism of this process. Methods:31healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, model control group and EA group. Thtough fixing the rabbits’ left knee to establish OA models in the model control group and EA group. Executeing one rabbit, randomly selected from the models at six weeks,to determine the model was successful by pathological observation. Then remove all plaster, useing a injector to extract all rabbit joint irrigation fluid, being numbered and frozed for test late. Treating the rabbits of the EA group with SDZ-II electro-acupuncture instrument, by taking the four point of "liangqiu (ST34)","Zusanli(ST36)","Xuehai(SP10)","Yanglingquan(GB34)" Choosing a30th inchneedles connected to the treatment device, and selecting4Hz rarefaction wave,20Hz density wave, pulse of0.5ms width, once a day, duration of20minutes, for a total of10days treatment. Model group rabbits were just fixed on the stage for20minutes without any treatment. Extracting the joint fluid from all rabbits again at the end of the10days treatment, then detecting the concentration of TGF-β1in the synovial fluid by double-antibody sandwich ABC-ELISA. Reserving the integrated left knee of all rabbits after execution, prepare for doing the pathological observation and histopathological Mankin score. Results:Pathological observations indicate that the OA-like change in the model group and EA group, and show that the model group is more serious than the EA group. According to biopsy Mankin score, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) among the three groups. The EA group compared with model group was significantly different (P<0.05). In regard to TGF-β1concentration before EA treatment, the model group and EA group compared with the normal group was significantly increased,and there’s no significant difference between model group and EA group (P>0.05). After EA treatment, the concentration of TGF-β1in the model group did not change obviously (P>0.05); the EA group decreased (P<0.05), but still higher than normal group (P<0.05). Conclusion:(1)This study indicate that:The extension plaster immobilization method of rabbit knee OA model can well simulate the pathogenesis of OA, the modeling of OA successed in this experiment.(2)TGF-β1has a protective effect in the physiological state of articular cartilage, but over-expression in OA and promote OA-like changes, and its concentration increases, with the extension of the course of OA. It can be used as indicators to reflect changes in the OA disease.(3)Electro-acupuncture treatment of the rabbit’s knee OA is effective, probably through improving local blood circulation, promoting local inflammation subsided, and reducing the over-expression of TGF-β1to reduce apoptosis and differentiation of chondrocyte.