Effects and mechanism of transcutaneous vagus nerve electrical stimulation on osteolytic destruction in rats with osteomyelitis
Objective To observe the effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve electrical stimulation(tVNS)on osteolytic destruction in rats with osteomyelitis(OM),and to explore the mechanism of tVNS in ameliorating osteolytic destruction.Methods The rats were divided into three groups:negative control group(Control group),sham stimulation control group(Sham-tVNS group),and experimental group(tVNS group),with 15 rats in each.The OM model was established by injecting 3×108 CFU/ml Staphylococcus aureus into rats'marrow cavity.After the models were successfully established,the rats in each group were treated according to the experiment design.Bone destruction of OM was evaluated by Micro-CT.The change of inflammatory factor levels in serum,and acetylcholine(Ach)content in serum and bone tissue in three groups were detected by ELISA.The infections in bone tissue were observed by agarose culture method.Results Compared with the rats in the Control group and the Sham-tVNS group,the OM rats in the tVNS group showed alleviated bone volume/total volume,trabecular number,and bone mineral density,reduced trabecular spacing,decreased serum inflammatory factor levels,and increased concentration of serum Ach and contents of Ach in bone tissues,with statistically significant differences(all P＜0.05).The colonies of Staphylococcus aureus in bone tissue of the OM rats in the tVNS group was less than those in the Sham-tVNS and the Control group,indicating the Staphylococcus aureus in the tVNS group were inhibited.Conclusion The tVNS can reduce the bone destruction in OM rats,and the mechanism was closely related to the tVNS promoting Ach release in plasma and bone tissue,and inhibiting inflammatory factors and the growth of Staphylococcus aureus.
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