title: [Effects of electroacupuncture on Wnt-β-catenin signal pathway in annulus fibrosus cells in intervertebral disc in rats with cervical spondylosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV 14) on Wnt-β-catenin signal pathway in annulus fibrosus cells in intervertebral disc in rats with cervical spondylosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 10 rats in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with sham operation, only incision on local skin; rats in the remaining groups were made into cervical spondylosis models. After model establishment, rats in the control group and model group received fixed treatment under identical condition; rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Dazhui" (GV 14), 30 min per treatment; rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of meloxicam tablets. Treatments were both given once a day, and 14 days were taken as one session; there was an interval of 2 days between two sessions, and totally two sessions were given. After the treatments, immunohistochemistry was applied to measure the expression of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and Axin in annulus fibrosus cells; western blot was used to test the expression of P-β-catenin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control group, there were more positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were intensively distributed, deeply colored, and strongly positive; In the model group, there were less positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were sparsely distributed and weakly positive. The expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the model group was less than that in the control group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the EA group and medication group was higher than that in the model group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin was not significantly different between EA group and medication group (all P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA could delay the degeneration of intervertebral disc, which may be related to EA inhibiting signal pathway of Wnt-β-catenin.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Liao
authors: Qiao-Yu
authors: QY
authors: Xie
authors: Le
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Mei-Gui
authors: MG
authors: Ke
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3