Effects Of Electroacupuncture On The Contents Of Apoptosis And PI3K/Akt In Chondrocytes Of Rats With Cervicovertebral Disc Degeneration

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Cervical Jiaji point and "Shousanli" point(LI10) on the contents of phosphatidylinositol3-kinase (PI3K) and serine threonine kinas (AKT) in chondrocytes of rats with cervicovertebral disc degenerateon in order to explore its intrinsic mechanism underlying relief of chondrocytes degeneration.Methods:10from40SD rats(male and female half) were randomized extracted as sham group with the intervention of skin incision suture, while the rest ones as experimental group were built the cervical spondylosis model of static-dynamic force unbalance. When the model was confirmed successfully by electron microscopy detection3months later, three groups was divided, named model control group (control group), electroacupuncture group(EA group) and model Meloxicam treatment group (the MT group).8model rats for each group. The EA group accepted the electroacupuncture on the Cervical Jiaji points and Shousanli points.25min/d.2weeks/course. The gavage treatment was given to the MT group with the dosage of0.7878mg/kg/d. The control group and the sham group were only fixe. And all groups shared the same intervention time. At the end of courses, the cervical intervertebral disc C2-7were detected using Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting with the aim to observing the expression of Bcl-2, Bax. PI3K. P-Akt and Akt in the disc cartilage cells.Results:(1)Transmission electron microscope(TEM):Compared to the sham group, the cartilage cells of the control group showed a decrease of Microvilli sample in the surface. Chromatin pyknosis in the endonuclear. And in the extracellular matrix. collagen fibrils declined with abnormal arrangement.(2)Immunohistochemistry(IHC): The Bcl-2protein expression of the control group signifcantly decreased compared with the sham group (P<0.05). and significantly increased compared to Meloxicam and EA group (P<0.05).The expression of Bax protein was the opposite to that of Bcl-2(P<0.05) (3) Western Blot:There was no significant difference between the groups for the expression of Akt (P>0.05). the MT group and the EA group both had a rise in the expression of PI3K and P-Akt comparing with control group (P<0.05). Compared to the sham group, the control group showed a decline in the expression of PI3K and P-Akt.Conclusion:(1) Electroacupuncture at Cervical Jiaji points and Shousanli points can inhibite the apoptosis of chondrocytes in cervicovertebral disc.(2) Electroacupuncture can increase the positive expression of Bel-2and reduce the expression of Bax. which suggests that EA can regulate intracellular proportion of Bcl-2and Bax to inhibite apoptosis.(3) Electroacupuncture intervention can increase the expression of the PI3K、P-Akt in the disc cartilage cells, which prompts that the mechanism of electroacupuncture intervention for the cervical spondylosis may associate with PI3K/Akt signal pathway.