2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (26): 4181-4186

Effect of traditional Chinese medicine hot compress on autophagy and expression of apoptosis related factors in the intervertebral disc of rabbits with cervical spondylosis

Chen Jiali1, Gao Hang1, Zhao Ziying1, Wang Guangyi2   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese medicine hot compress is a common method to treat cervical spondylosis. It has the unique advantages of convenient operation, stable curative effect and few side effects, but its effect mechanism is not clear.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of traditional Chinese medicine hot compress on autophagy and expression of apoptosis related factors in the intervertebral disc of rabbits with cervical spondylosis and to explore its mechanism in the treatment of cervical spondylosis.
METHODS: Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control group, model group, and traditional Chinese medicine hot compress group (drug group), with eight rabbits in each group. Except for the control group, 16 rabbits in the other two groups were used to establish the animal model of cervical spondylosis. The imaging changes of the cervical spine before and after modeling were compared to observe whether there were changes in the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, smaller intervertebral foramen, narrowing of the intervertebral space, and the formation of osteophytes, which could be used as the evaluation standard of modeling. After the animal model was established, the drug group was treated with traditional Chinese medicine hot compress intervention, 20 minutes per day, and the medicine bag was changed every 5 minutes, once a day, for 20 days in total. The other two groups were fed normally without intervention. The morphological changes of the cervical intervertebral disc of rabbits in each group were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The apoptosis of intervertebral disc cells in each group was observed by TUNEL. The relative mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Beclin1, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 in the cervical intervertebral disc were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The histological score of the cervical intervertebral disc in the model group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the histological score of the intervertebral disc in the traditional Chinese medicine hot compress group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05).The apoptosis rate of rabbit cervical intervertebral disc in the model group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the apoptosis rate of rabbit cervical intervertebral disc in the traditional Chinese medicine hot compress group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05). The relative mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Beclin1, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 in the model group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05), while the relative mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Beclin1, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 in the traditional Chinese medicine hot compress group were significantly higher than those in the model group (P < 0.05). To conclude, traditional Chinese medicine hot compress can increase the expression of autophagy factors in the intervertebral disc of rabbits with cervical spondylosis and reduce the apoptosis of intervertebral disc cells, so as to protect the intervertebral disc and improve cervical spondylosis.

Key words: traditional Chinese medicine hot compress, cervical spondylosis, intervertebral disc degeneration, autophagy, apoptosis