ArticleJournal of inflammation research2025
Therapeutic Effects of Fire Needling Acupuncture on Pain Relief and Cartilage Protection in MIA-Induced Knee Osteoarthritis Rats: The Role of Macrophage Polarization in Synovium and Angiogenesis in Subchondral Bone.
Article in Journal of inflammation research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Vitexin Alleviates Knee Osteoarthritis-Associated Cartilage Damage Associated with F3 Modulation.Genes · 2026Article
- Review
- Evolving Strategies for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review of Integrated Rehabilitation, Pharmacologic, and Joint-Preserving Interventions.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026Review
- Integrative multi-omics analysis reveals gut microbiota-derived metabolites and immune regulatory pathways in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Article
- Fire Needling Acupuncture Reduces Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) Formation and Inhibits TLR4/NF-κB/LCN2 Pathway in Psoriasis-Like Skin Lesions.Journal of inflammation research · 2026Article
- Electroacupuncture attenuates synovitis in knee osteoarthritis and is associated with modulation of the protein S-TAM (Axl/MerTK)-Rac1 signaling axis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis: a stepped conservative care paradigm for early-stage disease and high-risk populations.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Review
- Advances in Electroacupuncture for Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Future Directions.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
15 authors.
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Abstract
Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent degenerative disease impacting bone and joint health. Clinical studies indicate that fire needling acupuncture can alleviate joint stiffness, pain, and dysfunction in KOA. Previous research demonstrated its efficacy in reducing pain, mitigating cartilage damage, and regulating macrophage polarization, but its effects on subchondral bone remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of fire needling acupuncture on subchondral bone in KOA. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (CON), monosodium iodoacetate (MIA), and fire needling acupuncture (FNA) (n=6 per group). A KOA model was established using 0.3 mg/50 µL MIA, followed by acupuncture at acupoints SP10, ST34, ST35, EX-LE5, and ST36 twice weekly. Evaluations included body weight, joint diameter, weight distribution, and mechanical withdrawal threshold. Micro-CT imaging assessed tibial plateau bone mass changes. Histological evaluations used HE, Safranin O/Fast Green, and toluidine blue staining. Immunohistochemistry examined COL2, MMP9, and MMP13 expression, while macrophage polarization was analyzed using immunofluorescence for F4/80, iNOS, and Arg-1. TRAP staining assessed osteoclast activity, and immunofluorescence for CD31/Emcn and VEGF evaluated angiogenesis in subchondral bone. Results: Fire needling acupuncture significantly improved weight distribution and mechanical withdrawal thresholds, reduced synovial inflammation and abnormal changes in subchondral bone, and preserved cartilage integrity in MIA-induced KOA rats. Notably, F4/80 and iNOS expression levels decreased, while Arg-1 expression increased after treatment. Additionally, TRAP, CD31/Emcn, and VEGF expression in subchondral bone decreased following fire needling acupuncture. Conclusion: Fire needling acupuncture mitigates pain behavior, synovial inflammation, cartilage degradation, and abnormal changes in subchondral bone in MIA-induced KOA rats. The therapeutic mechanism may involve modulation of synovial macrophage polarization and subchondral bone angiogenesis. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise molecular pathways and the interaction between macrophage polarization and angiogenesis.
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