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Scraping Therapy Improved Muscle Regeneration through Regulating GLUT4/Glycolytic and AMPK/mTOR/4EBP1 Pathways in
Bin Zou1,2,3, Juan Du1, Qiwen Xuan1
1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Pain Research & Management
|July 3, 2023
Summary
Scraping therapy promotes multifidus muscle regeneration in rats with low back pain. This treatment aids muscle repair by influencing key metabolic and signaling pathways, offering a potential new approach for managing back pain.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Musculoskeletal Research
Background:
- Nonspecific low back pain (NLBP) presents a significant societal burden due to high morbidity and healthcare costs.
- Damage and atrophy of the multifidus (MF) muscle are strongly associated with NLBP.
- Scraping therapy offers a low-cost, low-adverse-effect treatment for NLBP, but its underlying mechanisms require clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of scraping therapy on promoting MF regeneration.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which scraping therapy facilitates MF repair.
Main Methods:
- Induced multifidus muscle injury in 54 male rats using bupivacaine.
- Administered scraping therapy and assessed treatment effects at various time points.
- Analyzed skin temperature, pain thresholds, histological sections, and gene/protein expression via mRNA sequencing, RT-PCR, and Western blot.
Main Results:
- Scraping therapy led to increased MF cross-sectional area and improved pain thresholds.
- Significant changes in gene and protein expression related to the GLUT4/glycolytic and AMPK/mTOR/4EBP1 pathways were observed.
- Skin temperature increased immediately post-treatment, and pain thresholds improved by day two.
Conclusions:
- Scraping therapy demonstrates therapeutic efficacy in treating multifidus muscle injury.
- The treatment promotes muscle regeneration by modulating the GLUT4/glycolytic and AMPK/mTOR/4EBP1 signaling pathways.
