用临床疗效确切的特色回医烙灸干预腰椎间盘退变(IDD)大鼠模型，分析p38 MAPK信号通路对软骨终板细胞和髓核细胞凋亡及细胞外IL-1、IL-6、MMPs 、TIMPs等基质环境的调控，探讨烙灸治疗IDD的作用机制。我们前期研究发现烙灸可减少髓核细胞的凋亡及椎间盘外基质中IL-6和 MMP-3的水平，IL-6和MMP-3是p38MAPK信号通路下游关键作用因子，同时p38MAPK可促进髓核细胞的凋亡，从而提出烙灸可能是通过介导p38MAPK信号通路治疗IDD的假说。本课题采用TUNEL法、免疫组化、RT-PCR、Western Blot等方法对椎间盘细胞凋亡、Bax、Bcl-2、P-p38MAPK、p38MAPK 、IL-1、IL-6、MMPs 、TIMPs等进行检测。验证烙灸通过介导p38MAPK信号通路治疗IDD的假说，阐明其治疗IDD的作用机制。本课题还有助于深化回医四液学说理论。

Our pre-clinical studies confirmed the efficacy of cautery moxibustion therapy of Hui medicine treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration（IDD）.In the present study，through analyzing p38 MAPK signal pathway regulates apoptosis of lumbar endplate cartilage cells，nucleus pulposus cells and extra cellular environment, thus we can expound the mechanism of cautery moxibustion therapy IDD. Our previous studies found that cautery moxibustion therapy could reduce the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus of intervertebral disc and MMP-3 in intervertebral disc，and Moxibustion also could reduce the IL-6 in intervertebral disc.IL-6 and MMP-3 are key factors of p38MAPK signal pathways. At the same time P38MAPK can promote the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus. Therefore we put forward the hypothesis that the cautery moxibustion may be mediated through p38MAPK signaling pathway to treat IDD.p38 MAPK signal pathway regulates apoptosis of lumbar endplate cartilage cells , nucleus pulposus cells and extra cellular environment, such as IL-1、IL-6、MMPs 、TIMPs.This study uses TUNEL method、immunohistochemistry、RT-PCR、Western-Blot and other methods to detect apoptosis of disc cell and P-p38MAPK、p38MAPK、IL-1、IL-6、Bax 、Bcl-2、MMPs 、TIMPs，and we can verify the hypothesis that the cautery moxibustion may be mediated through p38MAPK signaling pathway to treat IDD. The study also helps to find material basis of four liquid and deepens theory of four liquid in Hui medicine.