Preliminary investigation on the effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with traction on joint contracture based on PTEN‐PI3K/AKT pathway

Abstract

To investigate the intervention effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction on fixation‐induced knee contracture and its influence on PTEN‐PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. 36 SD male rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. The left knee joints were not fixed in the control group (C group). Rats in other groups underwent brace fixation in the extended position of the left knee. After 4 weeks bracing, it is randomly divided into five groups: Model group (M group), natural recovery group (NR group), extracorporeal shock wave treatment group (ET group), manual traction group (MT group), and extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction group (CT group). Joint range of motion (ROM) of left knee was carried out to assess joint function. Hematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining and masson staining were respectively used to assess the cell number and collagen deposition expression. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to assess protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (AKT). The combined therapy was more effective than ESWT or manual traction alone against the joint range of motion, cell number and the collagen deposition,low‐expression of PTEN and over‐expression of PI3K/AKT in the anterior joint capsule of rats with knee extension contracture.Extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction can promote the histopathological changes of anterior joint capsule fibrosis, upregulate the protein expression of PTEN and downregulate the protein expression of PI3K/AKT in the fibrotic joint capsule in a rat joint contracture model.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.