Guo Chang-Qing, Liu Fu-Shui, Ma Hui-Fang, Guo Yan, Liang Chu-Xi
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2014 Feb;39(1):68-72.
To observe the effect of acupotomy therapy on cervicomuscular apoptosis and apoptosis regulator Bax protein expression in cervical spondylosis (CS) rabbits so as to investigate its mechanisms underlying improvement of CS.
Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal control, model, acupotomy and electroacupuncture (EA) groups, with 6 rabbits in each group. The CS model was made by forced head-bowing for 5 hours in a restrained chamber, once daily for 12 weeks. Acupotomy was performed at the starting point of trapezius, the mastoid process attaching point of sternocleidomastoid, the cerverical vertebrae joint process or the local induration or cord-like mass (2 or 3 points of them were used as the needle-knife entering points), once a week for 3 weeks. For animals of the EA group, EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) was applied to bilateral "Tianzhu" (BL 10), "Jingbailao" (EX-HN 15), "Dazhu" (BL 11) for 20 min, once daily and 3 times a week for 3 weeks. The number of apoptotic cells in the cervical muscle was observed by light microscope after TUNEL staining and muscular Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression was detected by Western blot.
In comparison with the control group, the number of cervicomuscular apoptotic cells, and the expression level of cervicomuscular Bax protein were significantly increased, and the Bcl-2/Bax was obviously decreased in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared to the model group, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression level of muscular Bax protein were notably decreased in the acupotomy group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while the ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax was apparently increased in the acupotomy group (P < 0.05). The effects of acupotomy were significantly superior to those of EA in lowering apoptotic cell number and in up-regulating Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the EA and model groups in the apoptotic cell number and among the four groups in Bcl-2 protein expression levels (P > 0.05).
Acupotomy therapy can reduce cervicomuscular cellular apoptosis and Bax protein expression in CS rabbits, which may be one of its mechanism underlying improving CS.
观察小针刀疗法对颈椎病（CS）家兔颈肌细胞凋亡及凋亡调节因子Bax蛋白表达的影响，探讨其改善颈椎病的作用机制。
将24只新西兰兔随机分为正常对照组、模型组、小针刀组和电针组，每组6只。采用在约束箱中强迫低头5小时的方法制备CS模型，每日1次，共12周。小针刀治疗选取斜方肌起点、胸锁乳突肌乳突附着点、颈椎关节突或局部硬结或条索状肿物处（选取2～3处作为针刀进针点），每周1次，共3周。电针组动物取双侧“天柱”（BL 10）、“颈百劳”（EX-HN 15）、“大杼”（BL 11），给予电针（2 Hz/100 Hz，2 mA）刺激20分钟，每日1次，每周3次，共3周。TUNEL染色后光镜下观察颈肌凋亡细胞数量，Western blot法检测肌肉组织Bcl-2和Bax蛋白表达。
与对照组比较，模型组颈肌凋亡细胞数量及颈肌Bax蛋白表达水平明显增加，Bcl-2/Bax明显降低（P<0.01，P<0.05）。与模型组比较，小针刀组凋亡细胞数量及肌肉Bax蛋白表达水平明显降低（P<0.01，P<0.05），Bcl-2与Bax比值明显升高（P<0.05）。在降低凋亡细胞数量及上调Bcl-2/Bax方面，小针刀组疗效明显优于电针组（P<0.01，P<0.05）。电针组与模型组凋亡细胞数量比较差异无统计学意义，4组间Bcl-2蛋白表达水平比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。
小针刀疗法可减少CS家兔颈肌细胞凋亡及Bax蛋白表达，这可能是其改善颈椎病的作用机制之一。
