【Animal Modeling】-The synergistic effect of acupuncture on human amniotic mesenchymal cell transplantation in the treatment of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats

  Objective: To investigate the synergistic effect of acupuncture combined with human amniotic mesenchymal cell transplantation on ovariectomized osteoporosis.

  Methods: Forty-five non-pregnant female Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group and an experimental group (acupuncture + human amniotic mesenchymal cell transplantation), with 15 rats in each group. After the recovery of the surgical wounds in each group, acupuncture and tail vein injection of HAMCs solution were performed on the 7th day (except the sham operation group) for continuous intervention for 12 weeks. At 24 h after the last intervention, the rats were sacrificed and specimens were collected. From the beginning of the intervention to the sacrifice, the body weight of the rats in each group was measured once a week, and the midpoint, distal and proximal bone densities of the left femur were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respectively, and the bone densities were measured by atomic absorption method. Calcium content; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-HVD), type I collagen C-terminal peptide (CTX-I), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), tartaric acid-resistant acid phosphate were detected by ELISA after 12 weeks of intervention Changes in the expression of enzyme 5b (TRAP5b); after 12 weeks of intervention, the changes in biomechanical properties of rats in each group were detected. The gene expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in the vertebrae was detected by RT-PCR after 12 weeks of intervention.

  Result: The weight of the rats in the sham operation group increased gradually, which was in line with the natural growth law of animals. The model group started two months after modeling, and the weight was significantly higher than that of the sham operation group. The weight of the experimental group increased gradually, which was similar to the sham operation group. Compared with the model group, the bone mineral density and bone calcium content of the sham operation group were decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the bone mineral density and bone calcium content of the experimental group were increased, and the difference was statistically significant. Significance (P<0.05). ELISA showed that the expressions of serum 25-HVD, CTX-I, BAP and TRAP5b were significantly decreased in the model group compared with the sham operation group, and significantly increased in the experimental group compared with the model group (P<0.05). Biometric testing showed that the ultimate load, ultimate stress and elastic modulus of the sham operation group were significantly higher than those of the model group (P<0.05), and the ultimate load and elastic modulus of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the sham operation group (P<0.05). 0.05). RT-PCR detection showed that the expression of TGF-β1 m-RNA was significantly increased in the experimental group compared with the sham operation group and the model group (P<0.05).

  Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with human amniotic mesenchymal cells (HAMCs) transplantation has a good synergistic effect on ovariectomized osteoporosis, and can improve the effect of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.