椎间盘退变是导致腰痛的关键，椎间盘退变的病理关键在于软骨终板退变，因此保护软骨是治疗椎间盘退变的关键，前期研究表明手法可通过保护软骨治疗椎间盘退变，但确切机制尚不明确。Wnt/β-catenin通路被证实是一条力学刺激通路，在介导机械力刺激、炎症反应和调控软骨退变中起到重要作用，该通路激活可多环节影响软骨退化，进而影响椎间盘退变，因此我们提出假设：推拿作为机械力刺激之一，是否可通过Wnt/β-catenin通路影响软骨细胞代谢达到减轻椎间盘退变目的。基于此我们拟建立大鼠腰椎间盘退变模型及体外培养椎间盘软骨终板退变细胞模型，采用RT-PCR、Western blot、免疫组织化学、流式细胞术等技术，从体内、体外两方面观察手法干预前后Wnt/β-catenin信号通路关键信号分子及相关基因表达，揭示该通路在手法对软骨保护作用中的力-生物信号转导机制，为阐明手法治疗腰椎间盘退变的机制提供依据。

Intervertebral disc degeneration(IVDD) is a common cause of lower back pain, and cartilage endplate degeneration is a key process of IVDD，thus protecting the cartilage compose is essential to the treatment of IVDD. Former studies showed that manipulation therapy could treat IVDD through protecting lumbar vertebrae cartilage, yet the acute effecting target was not certained. It is confirmed that Wnt/β-catenin routine is a mechanical stimulating routine and plays an important role between physical stimulation and lumbar vertebrae cartilage degeneration. Since activating the Wnt/β-catenin routine can promote cartilage degeneration through several segments, thus induce or aggravate IVDD, therefore we give hypothesis that Tuina therapy, a typical physical stimulation, could make effects on the chondrocyte metabolismattain, thus attain the effects of suppressing the process of IVDD through the Wnt/β-catenin routine. Basing on this hypothesis, we set up animal models of IVDD rats, and cell models of vertebrae cartilage endplate degeneration in vitro by the technology of RT-PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry for the purpose of inspecting the change of key signal molecule and express of relevant gene of Wnt/β-catenin routine in vitro and in vivo between pre-and post Tuina treatment.　Furthermore, we hope to reveal the variation mechanism of response in Wnt/β-catenin routine when manipulation therapy is applyed on cartilage protection, and we hope to provide evidence for indicating the effecting target and illustrating the mechanism of mechanical-biology signal transduction in manipulation therapy on IVDD.