title: [Effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, VEGF and ColX in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and type X collagen (ColX) in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and explore its possible mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomized equally into normal control group, KOA model group, eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling group (CN group), and normal thrust needing group (NTN group). In the latter 3 groups, KOA was induced by Hulth-Telhag treatment and evaluated with X-ray examination, and 6 weeks after the modeling, eletroacupuncture for 20 min was administered in CN and NTN groups at the acupoints "Zusanli", "Waixiyan", "Neixiyan", "Liangqiu" and "Yinlingquan" in the left knee joints once daily for 5 days as a treatment cycle. After 5 treatment cycles, the rabbits were examined for behavioral changes, cartilage morphology, and Mankin scores; The protein and mRNA expressions of S0x9, VEGF, and ColX were examined using Westen blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR as appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rabbits in the model, CN and NTN groups showed significant changes in behaviors and cartilage histomorphology after the modeling and after the treatments. HE staining showed that cartilage injury was repaired and tended to recovery in CN and NTN groups. The cartilage pathologies was severer in the model group than in the normal control, CN and NTN groups (P<0.01); Sox9 protein increased and VEGF mRNA level decreased in CN and NTN groups after treatment as compared with those in the model group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling can effectively improve KOA in rabbits probably by enhancing Sox9 and reducing VEGF and ColX expressions in the cartilage to inhibit hypertrophic differentiation of the chondrocytes, maintain chondrogenic phenotype and repair cartilage cells.
authors.affiliation: College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, 400016, China.E-mail: statictime@163.com.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ni-Ni
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Xiao-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiao-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D020219:Chondrogenesis; D024121:Collagen Type X / Q000378:metabolism*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D011817:Rabbits; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D024121:Collagen Type X; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A