Internal heat acupuncture inhibits osteoblast apoptosis and delays steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits
- VernacularTitle:内热针抑制成骨细胞凋亡延缓兔激素性股骨头缺血性坏死
- Author:
Xinbao TIAN
1
;
Liangchen MA
;
Fubao TIAN
;
Yuanyuan LIU
;
Jianfeng XU
;
Ruizhu LIN
;
Ning ZHU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: internal heat acupuncture; steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head; osteoblast apoptosis; Bcl-2; Bax; engineered tissue construction
- From: Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(29):6161-6166
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: BACKGROUND:Steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head is a common progressive,crippling and high incidence of non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head,but its exact pathogenesis is not clear.Internal heat acupuncture therapy has a good clinical effect in the treatment of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head,but its specific mechanism is not clear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of internal heat acupuncture on osteoblast apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)and B lymphocytoma-2(Bcl-2)in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits.METHODS:Totally 24 male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into blank group,model group,and internal heat acupuncture group(n=8).The rabbit model of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head was made in the last two groups by methylprednisolone sodium succinate combined with Escherichia coli endotoxin.After successful model establishment for 4 weeks,the rabbits in the internal heat acupuncture group received internal heat acupuncture intervention on the buttocks of rabbits,once a week for 20 minutes each time,while the other two groups did not receive any intervention.After 4 weeks of treatment,samples were harvested.Morphological changes of femoral head and osteoblast apoptosis were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and TUNEL assay.Protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in rabbit femoral head tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In the blank group,there were abundant hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow cavity,clear and orderly trabecular structure,few adipocytes and few empty bone lacunae.In the model group,the number of adipocytes in the bone marrow cavity increased significantly,accompanied by hyperplasia,steatosis of some osteocytes and more empty bone lacunae.After the intervention of internal heat acupuncture,the number of adipocytes and hollow bone lacunae was less than that in the model group,but more obvious than that in the blank group.(2)Compared with the blank group,the apoptosis of osteoblasts in the model group was significantly increased,the expression of Bax was significantly increased(P＜0.001),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P＜0.001).After the intervention of internal heat acupuncture,the apoptosis of osteoblasts was significantly decreased,the expression of Bax was significantly decreased(P＜0.001),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased(P＜0.001).(3)The results show that internal heat acupuncture can alleviate steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head by inhibiting osteoblast apoptosis in the femoral head.
