Effect Of Acupotomy Intervention On Mechanical Signaling Pathway Of Integrin β1-FAK In Cartilage Endplate Of Rabbits With Cervical Spondylosis

Objective:In this study,a model of cervical spondylosis rabbits was made by simulating a long-term low-head position,and acupotomy release and electroacupuncture were used to intervene in the model rabbits,and a model group and a blank group were set as controls.Observe the effect of acupotomy release on the integrin β1-FAK signaling pathway in the model rabbit cervical intervertebral disc cartilage endplates,in order to explore the effect of long-term low head position on the cartilage endplate and the mechanism of acupotomy release on the mechanical balance adjustment of the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate.Reveal the scientific connotation of the "tiao jin zhi gu" theory of acupotomy release for cervical spondylosis.To provide theoretical and experimental basis for clinical acupotomy release treatment of cervical spondylosis.Method:According to the method of random grouping,40 New Zealand male rabbits were divided into a blank group,a model group,an electroacupuncture group and an acupotomy group,10 of each.The blank group was not modeled,and the remaining three groups were modeled with a long-term low-head position to establish a cervical spondylosis model rabbit,and imaging radiographs were taken at two stages before and after the modeling to verify the modeling effect.After successful modeling,neither the blank group nor the model group was allowed to intervene;The acupotomy group performed acupotomy release on the bilateral cervical muscles and the corresponding spinous processes of the model rabbits once a week for three weeks;The electro-acupuncture group was treated with electro-acupuncture at the three points of the cervical vertebrae of the model rabbits,namely,Tianzhu,jingbailao,and Dazhu,and was treated once every other day,3 times a week for 3 weeks.One week after the end of treatment,the cervical cartilage endplates of each group of rabbits were removed for the detection of experimental indicators.Real-time PCR was used to detect integrin β1 m RNA expression,and Western blot was used to detect integrin β1 and p-FAK protein expression levels.Result:Results of RT-PCR research: Compared to the blank group,the expression level of integrin β1 m RNA in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate of the model group was obviously decreased(P < 0.01).Compared with the model group,the expression levels of integrin β1 m RNA in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate of the electroacupuncture group was increased slightly,but the statistical significance was not significant(P > 0.05);the levels of integrin β1 m RNA in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate of the acupotomy group was obviously increased(P < 0.01).Compared with the electroacupuncture group,the integrin β1 m RNA expression levels of the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate in the acupotomy group was increased slightly,the statistical significance was not significant(P > 0.05).Results of Western Blot research: Compared to the blank group,the expression level of integrin β1 protein in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate in the model group was obviously decreased(P < 0.01),and the level of p-FAK protein in the cartilage endplate was increased(P < 0.05).Compared with the model group,the levels of integrin β1 and p-FAK protein in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate of the electroacupuncture group were increased(P < 0.05);the levels of integrin β1 and p-FAK protein in the intervertebral disc cartilage endplate of the acupotomy group were obviously increased(P < 0.01).Compared with the electroacupuncture group,the expression level of the integrin β1 protein in the acupotomy group increased slightly,but there was no statistical significance(P > 0.05),and the level of p-FAK protein was increased(P < 0.05).Conclusion:1.Long-term abnormal stress can cause cervical spondylosis in rabbits;2.acupotomy intervention can regulate the cartilage endplate integrin β1-FAK signal pathway.This may be one of the mechanisms of action of an acupotomy in slowing down intervertebral disc degeneration,restoring cervical mechanical balance,and treating cervical spondylosis.