针刀松解法、电针对膝关节骨关节炎兔IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α含量影响的比较

目的： IL-1β、IL-6及TNF-α在骨关节炎形成过程中起重要作用，本研究旨在对比观察针刀松解法、电针对膝关节骨性关节炎（OA）兔血清中细胞因子的影响。方法: 将52只新西兰兔随机分为空白对照组、骨关节炎模型组、针刀治疗组和电针治疗组。应用伸直位制动兔膝关节制备兔膝关节骨关节炎模型，分别应用针刀松解法和电针治疗3周，治疗结束1周后取血清，采用放射免疫法检测血清中IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α含量的变化。结果: 与空白对照组相比，骨关节炎模型组IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α含量均显著升高（P<0.05）；与骨关节炎模型组相比，针刀治疗组、电针治疗组中的IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α含量均显著下降（P<0.05），而针刀治疗组与电针治疗组之间的IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α含量均无显著差别（P>0.05）；针刀治疗组或电针治疗组与空白对照组相比较无显著差别（P>0.05）。结论: 针刀松解法和电针均能阻抑膝关节骨关节炎兔血清中IL-1β、IL-6及TNF-α的生成，提示两种疗法可能通过减少上述细胞因子的生成，在减轻关节软骨细胞和滑膜细胞的结构损伤、功能改变，阻抑基质金属蛋白酶的生成及减轻软骨基质的降解等方面可能发挥作用。

Effect of the acupotome therapy and electro-acupuncture on the serum contents of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis

AIM: IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α play important roles in emergence of osteoarthritis. This study aims at observing the effect of the acupotome therapy and electro-acupuncture on the cytokines in serum of rabbits with osteoarthritis. METHODS: 52 New Zealand rabbits were divided randomly into the normal group, model group, acupotome group and electro-acupuncture group. Knee osteoarthritis of the model rabbits was made with the straightened immobilization method. The acupotome and electro-acupuncture therapies were applied for three weeks. One week after the treatment the serum was collected, and the changes of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in serum were detected with RIA. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, the contents of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α elevated significantly in the knee osteoarthritis model group (P<0.05). Compared to the knee osteoarthritis model group, the contents of the cytokines in acupotome treatment group and electro-acupuncture treatment group decreased significantly (P<0.05). No significant difference between the content of cytokines in the acupotome treatment or electro-acupuncture treatment groups (P<0.05) was observed, also no statistical difference between the acupotome treatment or electro-cupuncture treatment groups and the control group was found. However, the contents of the three cytokines in the acupotome treatment and electro-acupuncture treatment groups were still higher than those in control group. CONCLUSION: The acupotome and electro-acupuncture treatment can decrease the release of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, indicating that the two therapies play an important role in improvement of the articular cartilage cell injury and function through inhibiting the generation of matrix protease and alleviation of degradation of the cartilage matrix.