| Low-level laser therapy combined with ultrashort wave ameliorates lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in rats by regulating the p38 MAPK signaling pathway |
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| DOI：10.3870/zgkf.2026.07.001 |
| EN KeyWords: low-level laser therapy ultrashort wave lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inflammatory cytokine |
| Fund Project:内蒙古医学科学院公立医院科研联合基金科技项目（2025GLLH0228）；内蒙古自治区首府地区公立医院高水平临床专科建设科技项目（2024SGGZ090）；内蒙古医科大学“善学”人才项目（ZY20242142） |
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| EN Abstract: |
| Objective: To investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) combined with ultrashort wave (USW) on a rat model of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LIDD) and to explore its potential mechanisms based on the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway. Methods: Totally, 40 SD male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: blank control (C group), model control (MC group), USW therapy (U group), LLLT (L group), and combined treatment (LU group) (n=8 per group). The LIDD model was established in the MC, U, L and LU groups using the annulus fibrosus (AF) puncture method, and the corresponding interventions were administered for 4 weeks according to the different groups. After 4 weeks, haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe morphological changes in the rat intervertebral disc tis-sue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in rats. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the expression levels of p38 MAPK, phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK), mitogen-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) and activator of transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) in rat intervertebral disc tissue. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and MMP-9 in rat intervertebral disc tissue. Results: LIDD models were successfully established in 4 groups of rats. After 4 weeks of intervention, compared with the MC group, the morphological structure of the intervertebral disc tissue was improved in the U, L and LU groups, with the LU group showing the best repair outcome. Compared with C group, serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, as well as the expression of p-p38 MAPK, MK2 and ATF-2 proteins in the intervertebral disc, were all elevated in the MC group (P<0.01); the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 mRNA was also elevated in the MC group (P<0.01). Compared with the MC group, the aforementioned serum inflammatory markers and pathway proteins were reduced in all treatment groups (P<0.05), and the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 mRNA was also reduced in the LU group (P<0.01). In comparisons between treatment groups, serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, as well as disc p-p38 MAPK, MK2, ATF-2 and MMP-3 mRNA expression, were all lower in the LU group than in the U group (P<0.05). The serum inflammatory markers, ATF-2, MMP-3 mRNA expression in the LU group showed no statistically significant differences compared with the L group, whilst p-p38 MAPK and MK2 protein expression was lower in the LU group than in the L group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in total p38 MAPK protein expression across the five groups.Conclusion: LLLT combined with USW may play a positive role in the treatment of LIDD by regulating the inflammatory microenvironment in rats with an LIDD model through the inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling pathway. |
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