Electroacupuncture on ST36 and GB39 Acupoints Inhibits Synovial Angiogenesis via Downregulating HIF-1α/VEGF Expression in a Rat Model of Adjuvant Arthritis
Figure 1
Study design of the experimental procedure. Rats were randomly grouped into control, adjuvant arthritis (AA), AA+electroacupuncture (AA+EA), and AA+sham EA groups with 10 rats in each. Freund's complete adjuvant was injected in bilateral hind footpad to establish rat model of AA after anesthesia, rats in control group were injected with saline. 3 days after the immunization, rats in AA+EA group were performed EA on acupoints ST 36 and GB 39, and rats in AA+sham EA group were subjected to an electrical stimulation at a nonacupoint once two days for a total of 8 times. Arthritis scores and paw volume for each rat were determined every 5 days for 4 times after the injection. Rats were sacrificed after 18 days and the bilateral ankles were sampled for further examination. The left ankle joint was used for H&E staining and immunohistochemistry analysis, and the right ankle joint synovium was used for PCR and Western blot analysis.