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Investigation of the effects of therapeutic ultrasound or photobiomodulation and the role of spinal glial cells in osteoarthritis-induced nociception in mice

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Abstract

Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis, and spinal glia is known to contribute to this symptom. Therapeutic ultrasound and laser therapy have been used to effectively treat osteoarthritis, with few adverse effects. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasound and photobiomodulation on the symptoms and evaluate the participation of spinal glia in osteoarthritis-induced nociception in mice. Male Swiss mice were subjected to osteoarthritis induction with a 0.1-mg intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate. Additionally, the mice received chronic ultrasound or photobiomodulation treatment for 21 days or a single treatment at day 14. Nociception was evaluated using von Frey filaments, and osteoarthritis symptoms were assessed by analysis of gait, joint temperature, and knee joint diameter. The role of spinal microglia and astrocytes on nociception was evaluated via an intrathecal injection of minocycline or fluorocitrate, and the spinal release of IL-1β and TNF-α was assessed by ELISA after chronic treatment with ultrasound or photobiomodulation. Our data showed that both single and chronic treatment with ultrasound or photobiomodulation attenuated the osteoarthritis-induced nociception. No differences in gait, knee joint temperature, or knee joint diameter were found. The intrathecal injection of minocycline and fluorocitrate decreased the osteoarthritis-induced nociception. There was an increase in the spinal levels of TNF-α, which was reverted by chronic ultrasound and laser treatments. These results suggest that osteoarthritis induces nociception and glial activation via spinal release of TNF-α and that the chronic treatment with ultrasound or photobiomodulation decreased nociception and TNF-α release.

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Funding

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas (FAPEMIG), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) [Grant 001].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Motricity of Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, 2600 Jovino Fernandes Sales Ave, Alfenas, MG, 37133-550, Brazil

    Iago Malta, Thamyris Moraes, Lívia Elisei & Giovane Galdino

  2. Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, 700 Gabriel Monteiro Silva St, Alfenas, MG, 37130-001, Brazil

    Rômulo Novaes

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  1. Iago Malta
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  2. Thamyris Moraes
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  3. Lívia Elisei
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Correspondence to Giovane Galdino.

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The experiments were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee at the Federal University of Alfenas, in Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil (protocol number 49/2017).

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Malta, I., Moraes, T., Elisei, L. et al. Investigation of the effects of therapeutic ultrasound or photobiomodulation and the role of spinal glial cells in osteoarthritis-induced nociception in mice. Lasers Med Sci 37, 1687–1698 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03418-7

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