温针灸治疗膝骨性关节炎(KOA)临床疗效显著。KOA由软骨、细胞外基质、软骨下骨三者分解和合成偶联失衡引起，前期对温针灸治疗KOA软骨及细胞外基质进行了研究。本课题拟以软骨下骨为载体，研究温针灸治疗兔KOA作用机制。软骨下骨在KOA中骨量改变为主要病理表现，OPG/RANKL/RANK系统在防治骨量丢失，保证正常骨更新中起重要作用。假说温针灸治疗KOA通过激活OPG/RANKL/RANK系统，早期促进OPG表达，抑制RANKL表达，中晚期抑制OPG表达，促进RANKL表达，达到治疗KOA目的。本课题拟对KOA兔模型行温针灸等干预，采用免疫组化、RT-PCR、Western Blot等方法检测软骨下骨中OPG、RANKL、RANK蛋白及mRNA表达，明确温针灸治疗兔KOA激活OPG/RANKL/RANK系统调节骨代谢，引起OPG、RANKL、RANK蛋白及mRNA表达的变化，揭示其治疗机理。

Warming acupuncture treatment of KOA clinical efficacy is significant. Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is caused by the breakdown analysis and synthesis imbalance in cartilage, extracellular matrix, and subchondral bone. Pre-study found that Warming acupuncture in the treatment of KOA can cause related factor in cartilage and extracellular matrix expression changes. Ththerefore, the study group regard subchondral bone as research carrier, to study mechanism of warm acupuncture treatment of rabbit KOA.The bone changes were the main pathological manifestations subchondral bone in KOA, the OPG / RANKL / RANK system plays an important role in preventing bone loss and ensuring normal bone renewal.Hypothesis that Warming Acupuncture Treatment of KOA is activating OPG / RANKL / RANK system, Early promote OPG expression and Inhibition of RANKL expression, Middle and late inhibition of OPG expression, promote RANKL expression, To achieve the purpose of treatment KOA. This subject intends to KOA rabbit model of temperature acupuncture and other intervention, use Immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western Blot to detect The expression of OPG, RANKL, RANK protein and mRNA in subchondral bone,and confirmed warming acupuncture in treatment of KOA were activate the OPG / RANKL / RANK system to regulate bone metabolism,causing OPG, RANKL, RANK protein and mRNA expression changes, reveal its treatment mechanism.