Potential involvement of isolectin B4-positive nociceptors in dorsal root ganglion as an underlying mechanism of the analgesic effect of Tuina in rats

doi:10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.05.011

Abstract

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the analgesic effect of Tuina, primarily viaisolectin B4 (IB4)-positive nociceptors in peripheral myelinated nerve fibers.

METHODS: A total of 24 healthy male adult pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats weighing (250 ± 10) g were randomly divided into three groups: complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA), CFA+ Tuina+Saporin (Tuina + SAP), and CFA + Tuina + phosphata- buffered saline (Tuina + PBS). CFA was injected into the psoas major muscle of rats in the three groups to establish the CFA-induced inflammatory pain model. Furthermore, the Tuina + SAP group was established by injecting 5 μL of IB4-SAP (400 μg/mL) solution into the sciatic nerve sheath, whereas the Tuina + PBS group was established by administering 5 μL of phosphate buffered saline into the sciatic nerve sheath. Rats in the Tuina + SAP group and Tuina + PBS group received alternate- day Tuina intervention on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, and 13th days. The paw withdrawal latency (PWL) and paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) were monitored.

RESULTS: The PWT, PWL, and catwalk gait parameters of CFA low back pain model animals were significantly improved in the Tuina + PBS group compared with the CFA group after 4-14 d of receiving Tuina treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the Tuina + SAP and Tuina+PBS groups, after removing the IB4-positive nociceptors at the Tuina site, CFA-induced pain sensitivity and dysfunction decreased or disappeared completely (P <0.05).

CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemical studies showed that the application of IB4-SAP neurotoxin may successfully eliminate IB4-positive nociceptors. After removal of these nociceptors, the analgesic effects of the manipulation techniques were weakened but not completely lost. This finding suggests that IB4-positive nociceptors serve as primary sensory neurons that receive the mechanics and harmfulness information from manipulation techniques.

Key words: lectins, chronic inflammatory pain, IB4-positive nociceptors, Tuina, analgesic effect

CHENG Yanbin, SONG Pengfei, GUO Guangxin, WU Zhiwei, ZHU Qingguang, FANG Min. Potential involvement of isolectin B4-positive nociceptors in dorsal root ganglion as an underlying mechanism of the analgesic effect of Tuina in rats[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026, 46(5): 1172-1179.

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