Effects of Laser Acupuncture on HSP70 Expression and Arthritic Histopathology in C57 Black Mice with Osteoarthritis

Methods:Sixty C57 black mice aged 10 weeks were divided randomly into six groups.Ten mice as normal control and fifty mice received forced running for 6 weeks as model

Methods： Sixty C57 black mice aged 10 weeks were divided randomly into six groups. Ten mice as normal control and fifty mice received forced running for 6 weeks as model of spontaneous osteoarthritis. In four treated groups, forty mice receiving either a 90-second treatment with a combined or single 10.6 μm laser or 650 nm laser irradiation or a sham treatment 3 times a week for 4 weeks on acupoint Dubi （ST 35） of left leg. All the mice were sacrificed and the left knee joints were removed at 20^th week. Histopathotogic changes and presence of heat shock protein （HSP） of arthritic cartilage were identified by hematoxylin and eosin stain and by immunostains of HSP 70 antibody individually from frozen sections of arthritic cartilage. Histological changes in cartilage structure were assessed and quantified with the modified Mankin scoring system. Results： The modified Mankin scores were significantly higher in the model control group （5.9±1.2） than all the other groups （P〈0.05）. Combined laser irradiation group （2.5 ± 1.4） is similar to that of normal group （2.3 ± 0.5） （P〉0.05）. But there are significant differences in single 10.6μm laser and 650 nm laser for the sham group and the model group, when compare with normal group （P〈0.05）.