Objective: To explore the effect of methotrexate combined with electroacupuncture on autophagy in the ankle synovial tissue in rats modeled with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: A rat model of rheumatoid arthritis was constructed by Freund's complete adjuvant injection. The animals were then randomly grouped into the methotrexate + electroacupuncture, methotrexate, electroacupuncture, and model groups. The left hindfoot plantar volume, histopathological morphology of the ankle joint synovium, and autophagy-related genes were detected and compared after the intervention.
Results: In comparison with the model group, significantly reduced plantar volume and mRNA and protein levels of autophagy-related gene (Atg) 3, Atg5, Atg12, unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), Beclin1, and light chain 3 (LC3), as well as alleviated synovial hyperplasia were identified in the methotrexate and electroacupuncture groups. The improvement in the above indicators was more pronounced in the methotrexate + electroacupuncture group.
Conclusions: By inhibiting autophagosome formation, both methotrexate and electroacupuncture inhibit synovial cell autophagy, alleviate synovial cell hyperautophagy, and relieve abnormal synovial hyperplasia, thus exerting a protective effect on the joint synovium. The combination of treatment with methotrexate and electroacupuncture works best.
Keywords: Methotrexate; ankle synovial tissue; autophagy; electroacupuncture; rheumatoid arthritis rats.
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