BACKGROUND:The regulatory mechanisms of acupotomy intervention for knee osteoarthritis at a transcriptome level are not well understood despite its proven clinical efficacy.OBJECTIVE:Using acupotomy therapy in a rat model of knee osteoarthritis,to conduct transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis on cartilage samples,along with validation,and to reveal the molecular regulatory mechanisms involved in this therapy for knee osteoarthritis in rats.METHODS:Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and divided into three groups by random number table method,acupotomy group,model group,and sham operation group,with 16 rats in each group.Osteoarthritis models were induced by medial meniscus instability in the acupotomy group and model group.After successful modeling,acupotomy group rats were treated with acupotomy once a week,for 4 weeks in total.After the intervention,cartilage samples from the rat's knee joint were stained with hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin O-fast green staining,evaluated by Mankin scores,and underwent MicroCT scanning.Serum inflammatory factor levels were detected by Elisa.Transcriptome sequencing was performed on the remaining cartilage samples,and the data were analyzed using R software to identify differential gene expression levels among the groups.Core targets were screened through protein-protein interaction network and Cytoscape and validated using RT-qPCR.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham operation group,rats in the model group had rough and uneven articular cartilage surfaces,narrowed joint spaces,destroyed articular surface structures,elevated Mankin scores,and significant increases in serum levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and matrix metalloproteinase 13(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,rats in the acupotomy group had smoother articular cartilage surfaces,wider joint spaces,slightly irregular articular surfaces,lower Mankin scores,and significantly lower serum levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and matrix metalloproteinase-13(P<0.05).Gene ontology and Kyoto genome and genome encyclopedia analyses involved proteolytic metabolism,autophagy,mitogen-activated protein kinase,nuclear factor kB,and Wnt signaling pathways.Protein-protein interaction network and Cytoscape screened for four key genes,including ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor.The mRNA expression of ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor in the articular cartilage of rats in the model group was lower than that of the sham operation group(P<0.05),while the mRNA expression of ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor in the articular cartilage of rats in the acupotomy group was higher than that in the model group(P<0.05).To conclude,acupotomy treatment of knee osteoarthritis in rats may act on signaling pathways such as MAPK,nuclear factor kB,and Wnt to promote cartilage repair,and is closely related to the expression of genes associated with ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor.

BACKGROUND:The regulatory mechanisms of acupotomy intervention for knee osteoarthritis at a transcriptome level are not well understood despite its proven clinical efficacy.OBJECTIVE:Using acupotomy therapy in a rat model of knee osteoarthritis,to conduct transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis on cartilage samples,along with validation,and to reveal the molecular regulatory mechanisms involved in this therapy for knee osteoarthritis in rats.METHODS:Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and divided into three groups by random number table method,acupotomy group,model group,and sham operation group,with 16 rats in each group.Osteoarthritis models were induced by medial meniscus instability in the acupotomy group and model group.After successful modeling,acupotomy group rats were treated with acupotomy once a week,for 4 weeks in total.After the intervention,cartilage samples from the rat's knee joint were stained with hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin O-fast green staining,evaluated by Mankin scores,and underwent MicroCT scanning.Serum inflammatory factor levels were detected by Elisa.Transcriptome sequencing was performed on the remaining cartilage samples,and the data were analyzed using R software to identify differential gene expression levels among the groups.Core targets were screened through protein-protein interaction network and Cytoscape and validated using RT-qPCR.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham operation group,rats in the model group had rough and uneven articular cartilage surfaces,narrowed joint spaces,destroyed articular surface structures,elevated Mankin scores,and significant increases in serum levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and matrix metalloproteinase 13(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,rats in the acupotomy group had smoother articular cartilage surfaces,wider joint spaces,slightly irregular articular surfaces,lower Mankin scores,and significantly lower serum levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and matrix metalloproteinase-13(P<0.05).Gene ontology and Kyoto genome and genome encyclopedia analyses involved proteolytic metabolism,autophagy,mitogen-activated protein kinase,nuclear factor kB,and Wnt signaling pathways.Protein-protein interaction network and Cytoscape screened for four key genes,including ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor.The mRNA expression of ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor in the articular cartilage of rats in the model group was lower than that of the sham operation group(P<0.05),while the mRNA expression of ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor in the articular cartilage of rats in the acupotomy group was higher than that in the model group(P<0.05).To conclude,acupotomy treatment of knee osteoarthritis in rats may act on signaling pathways such as MAPK,nuclear factor kB,and Wnt to promote cartilage repair,and is closely related to the expression of genes associated with ataxia-telangiectasia mutations,Myb SWIRM and MPN domain protein 1,heat shock protein 90α1,and NIPBL cohesion-loading factor.

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of topical application of Modified Sanhuang Powder （加味三黄散， MSP） combined with cold compression versus cold compression alone on swelling and pain after knee arthroscopy through a retrospective cohort study. MethodsMedical records of 134 patients with knee arthroscopy-induced knee swelling and pain were divided into non-exposure group （51 cases） and exposure group （83 cases） based on whether they used MSP for external application after surgery. The non-exposure group received simple cold compression therapy in addition to functional exercise and routine treatment after surgery， while the exposure group received topical MSP on the basis of what were given in the non-exposure group. The Visual Analog Scale （VAS） scores were compared between the two groups before and 7 days after treatment， and knee swelling measurements were taken before and 3， 5， and 7 days after treatment. The clinical effective rate was compared between the two groups. ResultsThe VAS scores in both groups were lower after treatment （P＜0.05）， and the exposure group had lower scores than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. On the 3rd， 5th， and 7th days of treatment， the scores on swelling at 2 cm above the superior pole of the patella， at the midline of the patella， and 5 cm below the inferior pole of the patella significantly decreased after treatment in both groups （P＜0.05）， and the exposure group had lower scores than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. The total clinical effective rate in the exposure group was 91.56% （76/83）， which was higher than 78.43% （40/51） in the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionTopical application of MSP combined with cold compression is effective in relieving postoperative swelling and pain after knee arthroscopy and is superior to cold compress alone.