Liao Jun, Zhang Le, Zheng Jiaxuan, Yu Debiao, Ke Meigui, Xu Teng
J Tradit Chin Med. 2014 Dec;34(6):684-90. doi: 10.1016/s0254-6272(15)30083-2.
To examine whether electroacupuncture (EA) treatment inhibited cell apoptosis of intervertebral annulus fibrosis (AF) via tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)-caspase-8 and integrin β1/Akt signaling pathways in a rat model of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration caused by unbalanced dynamic and static forces.
Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study, of which 24 rats underwent surgery to induce cervical intervertebral disc degeneration, while eight rats received EA treatment at Dazhui (GV 14). Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect TNF-α, TNFR1, and caspase-8. Apoptosis of AF cells was examined with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of integrin β1 and Akt were evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively.
Treatment with EA decreased TUNEL-positive AF cells and lowered TNF-α, TNFR1 and caspase-8 positive cells compared with control groups. EA treatment also increased integrin β1 and Akt mRNA and protein levels compared with controls.
Treatment with EA inhibits AF cell apoptosis through suppression of the TNF-α-TNFR1-caspase-8 signal pathway and increases the expression of integrin β1 and Akt. EA may be a good alternative therapy for treating cervical spondylosis.
在动静力失衡所致的大鼠颈椎间盘退变模型中，研究电针（EA）治疗是否通过肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）-肿瘤坏死因子受体1（TNFR1）-半胱天冬酶-8（caspase-8）和整合素β1/Akt信号通路抑制椎间盘纤维环（AF）细胞凋亡。
本研究纳入32只Sprague-Dawley大鼠，其中24只大鼠接受手术诱导颈椎间盘退变，8只大鼠在大椎穴（GV 14）接受电针治疗。采用免疫组织化学染色检测TNF-α、TNFR1和caspase-8。用末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶介导的dUTP生物素缺口末端标记法（TUNEL）染色检测AF细胞凋亡。分别采用实时聚合酶链反应和蛋白质印迹分析评估整合素β1和Akt的mRNA和蛋白表达水平。
与对照组相比，电针治疗可减少TUNEL阳性的AF细胞，并降低TNF-α、TNFR1和caspase-8阳性细胞数量。与对照组相比，电针治疗还可提高整合素β1和Akt的mRNA及蛋白水平。
电针治疗通过抑制TNF-α-TNFR1-caspase-8信号通路抑制AF细胞凋亡，并增加整合素β1和Akt的表达。电针可能是治疗颈椎病的一种良好替代疗法。
