4.3 Article

Electroacupuncture Increases the Concentration and Organization of Collagen in a Tendon Healing Model in Rats

Journal

CONNECTIVE TISSUE RESEARCH
Volume 53, Issue 6, Pages 542-547

Publisher

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.3109/03008207.2012.710671

Keywords

acupuncture; extracellular matrix; mechanotransduction; fibroblasts; repair

Ask authors/readers for more resources

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the composition and organization of the extracellular matrix of the rat Achilles tendon after a partial transection during the proliferative phase of healing. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: rats that were not tenotomized (G1), tenotomized rats (G2), and rats that were tenotomized and submitted to EA (G3). EA was applied 15 days after injury at the ST36 and BL57 acupoints for 20 min, three times per week on alternate days for a total of six sessions. Biochemical analyses were performed using non-collagenous proteins, glycosaminoglycans, and hydroxyproline quantifications. An analysis of metalloproteinase-2 was carried out by zymography. The general organization of the extracellular matrix and the metachromasy of the tendons were analyzed under light microscopy. The organization of the bundles of collagen fibers was analyzed by birefringence analysis. The results showed that EA did not alter the concentration of non-collagenous proteins or glycosaminoglycans or the enzymatic activity of metalloproteinase-2 in the transected tendons. However, the concentration of hydroxyproline was significantly increased when these tendons were treated by EA. The analysis of birefringence showed a higher organization of collagen fibers in the group treated by EA. These results indicate, for the first time, that EA may offer therapeutic benefits for the treatment of tendon injuries by increasing the concentration of collagen and by inducing a better molecular organization of the collagen fibers, which may improve the mechanical strength of the tendon after injury.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.3
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available