Study on the Mechanism of Acupuncture Protection of Quadriceps Muscle Cells in Knee Osteoarthritis Model Rats Based on Piezo1/YAP/Caspase3 Axis
- VernacularTitle:基于Piezo1/YAP/Caspase3轴探讨针刺保护膝骨性关节炎模型大鼠股四头肌细胞的机制研究
- Author:
Qu ZHENG
1
;
Xingxing LIN
;
Yu ZHANG
;
Xuefeng GUAN
;
Yiyan HAN
;
Yu ZHANG
;
Baoqiang DONG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Acupuncture; Piezo1; Knee osteoarthritis; Animal models; Quadriceps femoris; Articular cartilage
- From: World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(8):2274-2283
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Objective To explore the mechanism of acupuncture protection of quadriceps muscle cells in knee osteoarthritis model rats based on Piezo1/YAP/Caspase3 axis.Methods 40 SPF grade Wistar rats were selected and adaptively fed for 7 days before being divided into three groups:sham surgery group,model group,western medicine group,and acupuncture group,with 10 rats in each group,according to a random control table.The model group,Western medicine group,and acupuncture group used the modified Hulth method to construct knee osteoarthritis models,while the sham surgery group only cut open the joint cavity and sutured it.After successful model replication,the sham surgery group was given physiological saline by gavage,the western medicine group was given celecoxib solution by gavage,and the acupuncture group was given acupuncture at the infrapatellar,crane top,and blood sea levels.Each group was intervened once a day for 14 consecutive days.During the treatment period,the rats continued to undergo treadmill training.After the intervention,the hematoxylin eosin staining method(HE)was used to detect the morphological changes of various rat quadriceps muscle tissues and articular cartilage;TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis of quadriceps muscle cells,immunofluorescence method was used to detect the protein expression of Piezo1,YAP,and p-YAP in quadriceps muscle cells,Western blot method was used to detect the expression of anti apoptotic proteins CTGF,AREG,Gli2,AFP in quadriceps muscle tissue,as well as the protein expression levels of apoptosis related proteins Bcl-2,Bcl-xl,Bax,cytc,and Caspase3.Results Compared with the model group,the western medicine group and the acupuncture group had higher thigh circumference,quadriceps wet weight,wet weight maintenance rate,and wet weight to body weight ratio(P<0.05).Compared with the western medicine group,the acupuncture group had higher thigh circumference,quadriceps wet weight,wet weight maintenance rate,and wet weight to body weight ratio(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the apoptosis index of the quadriceps muscle in the Western medicine group and acupuncture group rats was lower,and the apoptosis index of the quadriceps muscle in the acupuncture group was lower(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the Western medicine group and acupuncture group showed higher expression of Piezo1 and p-YAP proteins in the quadriceps femoris muscle tissue,lower expression of YAP protein,higher expression of CTGF,AREG,Gli2,AFP proteins,higher expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl proteins,and lower expression of Bax,cytc,and Caspase3 proteins(P<0.05).Compared with the Western medicine group,the acupuncture group showed higher expression of Piezo1 and p-YAP proteins in the quadriceps muscle tissue,lower expression of YAP protein,higher expression of CTGF,AREG,Gli2,AFP proteins,higher expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl proteins,and lower expression of Bax,cytc,and Caspase3 proteins(P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture increases the expression of Piezo1 protein in the quadriceps femoris muscle of knee osteoarthritis model rats,promotes the phosphorylation of YAP into the nucleus,thereby promoting proliferation,anti apoptotic proteins CTGF,AREG,Gli2,and AFP protein expression,inhibiting Caspase3-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis,and protecting muscle cells.
