Objective To study the effect of electroacupuncture with near-to-bone needling on the proliferation and apoptosis of knee osteoarthritis. Methods Totally 40 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, the normal group (A, n =10) and the modeling group (n =30). Hulth-Telhag method was applied 30 rabbits to establish rabbit left knee osteoarthritis model, and evaluated by X-ray after 6 weeks. Then divided the 30 modeling rabbits into electroacupuncture with near-to-bone needling group (C,n =10), electroacupuncture with ordinary needling group (D,n =10) and model group (B ,n =10) randomly. Four treatments (5 d as one course of treatment) were applied to C group and D group, respectively. At the end of the experiment, modeling situation was detected by X-ray, pathological changes of cartilage was detected by HE staining ,and apoptosis of chondrocytes was checked by TUNEL staining; mRNA expressions of Caspase-3 and proliferating cell unclear antigen (PCNA) in chondrocytes were detected by RT-PCR; protein expressions of Caspase-3, PCNA, Bcl-2 and Bax in chondrocytes were detected by Western blot. Results HE stain demonstrated that the chondrocytes of A group,C group and D group were arranged in a more regular and smooth surface when compared with B group. The expressions of Bcl-2 and PCNA in C and D groups were higher than those of B group, but the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax were lower, when evaluated with Western blot；increased expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 but decreased expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax in C group were also noticed when compared with D group. RT-PCR results demonstrated that when compared with B group, the expression of PCNA mRNA were increased but Caspase-3 mRNA were decreased in C and D groups; compared with D group, the expression of PCNA mRNA were increased but Caspase-3 mRNA were decreased in C group. Conclusion The electroacupuncture with near-to-bone needling method is superior to the electroacupuncture with ordinary needling in decreasing apoptosis and promoting proliferation of chondrocytes.
