Effect of Electroacupuncture on Cartilage Expression of TypeⅠ Collagen Gene in a Rat Model of MIA-induced Knee Osteoarthritis / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate whether inhibiting the expression of typeⅠ collagen gene is one of the mechanisms of action of electroacupuncture in improving knee osteoarthritis.Methods Forty male adult SD rats were randomized into normal, model, medication and electroacupuncture group, 10 rats each. A rat model of MIA-induced knee osteoarthritis was made by injecting monomer sodium iodoacetate (MIA) and driving rat movement. After model making, the medication group received an oral gavage of celecoxib dissolved in 10% DMSO and the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture at points Zusanli and Yanglingquan. Pain thresholds and the levels of cartilage expression of typeⅠ collagen mRNA were compared between various groups of rats before and after treatment.Results There was a statistically significant difference in pain threshold between the model, medication or electroacupuncture group of rats and the normal group after model making (P0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of typeⅠ collagen mRNA between the model, medication or electroacupuncture group of rats and the normal group (P0.05).Conclusion The mechanisms of actions of electroacupuncture and medication in treating knee osteoarthritis may be related to inhibiting the expression of typeⅠ collagen mRNA.