| Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of acupuncture on the biomechanical properties of osteoporosis model rats and the signaling pathway of bone protectin (OPG)/nuclear factor-B receptor activator (RANKL)/ nuclear factor-B receptor activator receptor (RANK), so as to explore the mechanism of acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods Fifty female SD rats were selected to establish OP model by removing their ovaries. They were divided into sham operation group, model group, acupuncture low-dose group, acupuncture high-dose group and alendronate sodium group, with 10 rats in each group. The model was successfully established and the rats were adaptively fed for 2 months. After continuous intragastric administration for 12 weeks, the blood was taken from the abdominal aorta and the rats were killed. The bone mineral content of femur in the right lower limb of rats in each group was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; The levels of serum calcium (Ca2+), phosphorus (P), OPG, RANKL and rank were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; The biomechanical properties of femur were measured on ag-ix biomechanical universal experimental machine; Western blot was used to detect the expression of OPG, RANKL and rank proteins in bone tissue. Results Compared with the sham operation group, the bone mineral content in bone tissue, the expression of serum Ca2+, P and OPG, the content of OPG protein in femur, the maximum load, stiffness and elastic modulus of femur in the model group were significantly lower (P<0.01); The expression of RANKL and rank in serum and the contents of RANKL and rank protein in femoral tissue increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the above indexes were significantly improved in the low-dose acupuncture group, high-dose acupuncture group and alendronate group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the effect of acupuncture was dose-dependent (P <0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion Acupuncture has obvious anti osteoporosis effect, which may be related to improving the biomechanical properties of bone tissue and regulating OPG / RANKL / rank pathway. |