Mechanistic insights into “Three Methods and Three Acupoints” Tuina therapy for improving spinal microcirculation and motor function in sciatic nerve injury model rats

To investigate the effects of “Three Methods and Three Acupoints” (TMTP) Tuina therapy on spinal microcirculation in sciatic nerve injury (SNI).

Thirty-six Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: normal, sham operation, model, and TMTP Tuina. Successful model induction was confirmed by observable hind limb lameness. After 20 sessions, hind limb grip strength and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were measured at baseline and following the 10th and 20th intervention. CD31 and α-SMA in the ventral horn of SNI model rats were detected using immunofluorescence. Motor neurons in the ventral horn were detected by Nissl staining. PTEN levels in the ventral horn were measured by ELISA, and PI3K, Akt, BDNF, VEGF, and HIF-1α expression was determined by RT-PCR. Spinal cord microcirculation was evaluated by western blotting analysis of the levels of Akt, p-Akt, BDNF, and VEGF.

Hind limb grip strength and MNCV significantly improved in the TMTP Tuina group compared to the model group (both P <.001). Morphology of ventral horn motor neurons in the TMTP Tuina group improved compared to the model group, with increased expressions of α-SMA (P =.002) and CD31 (P =.006). Western blot analysis indicated increased expression of VEGF (P =.005), p-Akt (P <.001), and BDNF (P =.008) in the ventral horn following Tuina treatment. RT-PCR analysis revealed increased expression of PI3K, Akt, BDNF, VEGF and HIF-1α (all P <.05). In contrast, expression of PTEN decreased compared to the model group (P <.001).

TMTP Tuina therapy may restore motor function in rats, enhance ventral horn motor neuron morphology, and promote angiogenesis and vascular smooth muscle proliferation. The mechanism may involve the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.