【Animal modeling】-Comparative study on the effects of different acupuncture methods on cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in knee osteoarthritis models

  Objective: To compare the effects of three different acupuncture methods, namely acupuncture, warm acupuncture and electroacupuncture, on interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β1, matrix metalloproteinase-1, matrix metalloproteinase- 3 and the effect of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, to explore the difference in the metabolism of articular cartilage matrix in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with different acupuncture methods.

  Methods: Thirty New Zealand rabbits were selected and randomly divided into normal group, model group, acupuncture group, warm acupuncture group and electroacupuncture group, 6 in each group. An experimental knee osteoarthritis model was established by cutting off the anterior cruciate ligament, and each treatment group selected "Housanli" and "Dubi" points, and were treated with simple acupuncture, warm acupuncture and electroacupuncture, respectively, for a total of 20 treatments. After the treatment, ELISA method was used to detect the serum levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1, MMP-1, MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in each group, and the differences of each index between the groups were compared.

  Results: Compared with the model group, the serum levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1 and MMP-1 in each treatment group were significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the MMP-3 level in the warm acupuncture group was significantly increased. Compared with the treatment groups, the levels of MMP-3 in the electroacupuncture group were lower than those in the acupuncture and warm acupuncture groups (P < 0.01), and the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1, MMP-1 There was no significant difference in the level of each treatment group (P > 0.05).

  Conclusion: Acupuncture, warm acupuncture and electroacupuncture can all regulate the abnormal levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1 and MMP-1 in serum of knee osteoarthritis model, and control some factors of cartilage degeneration. Therefore, it can delay cartilage degeneration, and the regulating effect of warm acupuncture is more significant.