Molecular docking analysis of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium for rheumatoid arthritis:animal experiment validation / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:In clinical practice,Cibotium barometz and Epimedium have shown significant efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,but the complex active ingredients contained in the two have an unclear mechanism of action at the molecular level for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE:Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology,to establish a collagen-induced arthritis model and to verify the potential targets and pathways of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,providing reliable experimental evidence for the use of clinical formulas with Cibotium barometz and Epimedium as the main components. METHODS:Utilizing traditional Chinese medicine research platforms,traditional Chinese medicine encyclopedias,and databases of traditional Chinese medicine and chemical components from the Shanghai Institute of Organic,effective ingredients were retrieved and identified.3D molecular formulas were obtained from the PubChem platform and target predictions were made using PharmMapper and SwissTargetPrediction.Disease targets for rheumatoid arthritis were obtained from gene databases such as DrugBank,GeneCards,and OMIM.The intersections of targets and Cibotium barometz and Epimedium were plotted using VENNY 2.1 after calibration with the Uniport database.A protein-protein interaction network graph was constructed using the STRING platform.Gene Ontology function analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis were performed using the Metascape platform for data visualization.A four-layered network model of traditional Chinese medicine,ingredients,targets,diseases,and pathways was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0.The main effective ingredients were docked with core targets using AutoDock-Vina software to explore the best binding targets.A type II collagen+adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model was established,and the effects of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium on relevant pathway targets and inflammatory cell factors were observed after 21 days of intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 28 active ingredients from Cibotium barometz and Epimedium were selected,yielding 288 intersection targets for rheumatoid arthritis.The main ingredients included isobavachalcone,cibotium,and epimedium.The main targets included protein kinase 1 for serine/threonine(AKT1),tumor necrosis factor,and vascular endothelial growth factor A.Gene ontology analysis yielded 2 232 biological processes,mainly related to serine protein phosphorylation,positive regulation of serine/threonine protein kinase,and reactive oxygen metabolism.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis yielded 202 pathways,mainly involving the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway,which may exert therapeutic effects by regulating synovial cell apoptosis and proliferation and suppressing inflammatory factors.Molecular docking results showed the strongest binding activity and stable structure of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium with AKT1 and estrogen receptor transcription factor 1,which was closely related to apoptosis and proliferation and inflammatory signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT.Cibotium barometz and Epimedium reduced the expression of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α in the serum of collagen-induced arthritis rat models.Cibotium barometz and Epimedium reduced the expression of p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-FOXO1 in the synovium of collagen-induced arthritis rat models.The results indicate that the combination of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium may exert therapeutic effects by inhibiting the proliferation of synovial cells and suppressing the expression of inflammatory factors via the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling pathway.This may be closely related to the occurrence of inflammation and bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis,and provides a reference for the rational use and development of new drugs in clinical practice.

The mechanism of modified Gan Cao Fu Zi Decoction in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis based on network pharmacology and experimental validation / 药学学报

We used network pharmacology to predict the mechanism in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) via modified Gan Cao Fu Zi Decoction (GCFZ), and validated the results of the analysis and explored the pharmacodynamic effects of GCFZ through animal experiments. Firstly, TCMID, SymMap, HERB, STITCH and GEO databases were utilized to obtain the target genes of GCFZ for the treatment of RA, which yielded a total of 1 250 differentially expressed genes for RA, 534 genes for GCFZ targets and 83 intersecting genes. Then functional enrichment analysis of the intersecting genes was performed through GO and KEGG databases, and the results revealed that GCFZ and its active ingredients mainly functioned through cytokine pathways, where chemokine signaling pathway and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway were enriched with a high number of genes. Cytoscape 3.8.0 software was used to construct the drug-target-disease network and screen key proteins, which included TNF, C-X-C chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), C-X-C chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), C-C chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), C-X-C chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4). The molecular docking technology was used to confirm the binding ability of the main active ingredients of GCFZ to the core proteins. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of GCFZ in low (4 g·kg-1), medium (8 g·kg-1) and high (16 g·kg-1) dose groups were investigated by constructing the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. X-ray imaging approach, HE staining and Safranin O-Fast Green staining showed that GCFZ treatment significantly improved bone destruction, synovial hyperplasia and cartilage damage in CIA rats, while immunofluorescence results showed that GCFZ treatment could regulate the expression of TNF, CXCL8 and CCL5. In summary, our results indicate that GCFZ contains a variety of small molecule pharmacodynamic substances, which can exert therapeutic effects via multiple targets and pathways, and obviously reduce the symptoms of arthritis in CIA rats. This animal experiment of our research was approved by the Experimental Animal Management and Ethics Committee of Bengbu Medical College.

Effect of Topical Application of Fushan Rheumatism External Prescription on Inflammatory Cytokines and Notch2 Pathway in Rats with Collagen-Induced Arthritis / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Objective To explore the effect of topical application of Fushan rheumatism external prescription on inflammatory cytokines and notch2 pathway in rats with collagen-induced arthritis(CIA).Methods 36 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group(n=10)and model group(n=26).CIA model was successfully established in 20 rats,which were randomly divided into model group(n=10)and Fushan rheumatism external prescription group(n= 10).Treatment was initiated on day 14,and 0.4 mL ointment was evenly applied to the ankle joints of rats in Fushan rheumatism external prescription group.Normal group and model group were topical smeared with the same volume of normal saline.Activity was taken twice a day for 42 days.The joint swelling of rats was observed every week and the arthritis index was scored.Thereafter blood was collected from abdominal aorta,and then ankle joint,spleen,liver,and kidney of rats were taken out after the end of the interventions.The severity of arthritis and the pathological changes of ankle joint,liver and kidney were evaluated by HE staining;Inflammatory cytokines expression in serum were detected by ELISA;The expression of Notch2,Delta-like ligand protein 1(delta-like ligand protein-1,DLL1)and nuclear factor-κ Bp65(nuclear factor-κ Bp65,NF-κ Bp65)mRNA and protein in synovium of ankle joints and spleen were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot,and its positive expression in ankle joints were detected by immunohistochemical method;The changes of liver and kidney function of rats in each group were detected in serum.Results Compared with normal group,the arthritis index score in model group were increased(P<0.01),joint injury and pathological score were increased(P<0.01),the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-6,IL-17 and IFN-γ in serum were increased(P<0.01),the expression of Notch2,DLL1 and NF-κBp65 mRNA and protein in joints and spleen were increased(P<0.01),and the positive expression in joints were also increased(P<0.01);Compared with model group,the arthritis index score in Fushan rheumatism external prescription group were decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),joint injury and pathological score were decreased(P<0.01),the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-6,IL-17 and IFN-γ in serum were decreased(P<0.01),the expression of Notch2,DLL1 and NF-κBp65 mRNA and protein in joints and spleen were decreased(P<0.01),and the positive expression in joints were also decreased(P<0.01).In addition,no noticeable tissue damages were observed in liver and kidney in Fushan rheumatism external prescription group,and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and creatinine(Cr)in serum were no changes(P>0.05).Conclusion Fushan rheumatism external prescription relieves arthritis symptoms and joint injury in CIA rats,and has no toxic and side effects on liver and kidney.Its mechanism may be related to the reduction of inflammatory cytokines and down-regulation of Nocth2 pathway.

Effect of Shikonin on Synovitis in Mice with Collagen-induced Arthritis Through MAPK1/MAPK Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of shikonin （SKN） on synovitis in DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis （CIA）. MethodThirty-six DBA/1 mice were randomly divided into a normal group， a CIA group， low-， medium-， and high-dose SKN groups （1， 2， and 4 mg·kg-1）， and a methotrexate （MTX， 0.5 mg·kg-1） group， with 6 mice in each group. Mice in the CIA group， the SKN groups， and the MTX group were immunized with an equal volume of bovine type Ⅱ collagen and complete Freund's adjuvant on day 1. On day 21， those mice received a second immunization with an equal volume of bovine type Ⅱ collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant to establish the CIA model. On the day of the second immunization， mice were treated with drugs by gavage. Mice in the MTX group received oral administration three times a week， while others received once per day， for 28 days. On day 22， the symptoms of arthritis， such as redness and swelling of joints， in CIA mice were observed， and arthritis scores were recorded. On day 49 after sample collation， histopathological examination of synovial inflammation in CIA mice was performed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Immunofluorescence （IF） double labeling was used to detect the expression of vimentin and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 （MAPK1） in the synovium of CIA mice. Network pharmacology predicted that the target of SKN in rheumatoid arthritis （RA） was MAPK1， which was verified by molecular docking. Western blot was used to detect the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， p38， phosphorylated （p）-ERK， p-JNK， and p-p38 proteins in the synovial membrane of mice. ResultCompared with the normal group， the CIA group showed significantly higher arthritis scores， morbidity， and synovial inflammation， severely disrupted joint structure， evident articular cartilage and bone destruction， severe bone erosion （P<0.01）， increased expression of vimentin and MAPK1 in the synovium of mice， and increased protein expression of p-ERK/ERK， p-JNK/JNK， and p-p38/p38 in the synovium of mice （P<0.01）. Compared with the CIA group， the SKN groups and the MTX group showed relatively normal joint structure， with milder bone erosion and bone destruction， and smoother articular surfaces. Molecular docking results confirmed that the target of SKN was MAPK1. In the SKN groups and the MTX group， the expression of vimentin and MAPK1 in the synovial membrane was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the protein expression of p-ERK/ERK， p-JNK/JNK， and p-p38/p38 in the synovium of mice was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. ConclusionSKN can target MAPK1 to inhibit the protein expression of p-ERK， p-JNK， and p-p38 in CIA mice， thereby treating RA.

Effects of different extraction parts of Tibetan medicine Pulicaria insignis Drumm ex Dunn on CIA rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To clarify the anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect of Tibetan medicine Pulicaria insignis (P. insignis),sift out the active parts against rheumatoid arthritis,and investigate the mechanism. Methods Rat rheumatoid arthritis (CIA) model was established with bovine type II collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant. The effects of the total extract of P. insignis, macroporous resin eluted parts with different concentrations of ethanol and Tripterygium Glycosides (GTW) on the degree of foot swelling in CIA rats were observed,the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), intd rheumaerleukin-1β (IL-1β) antoid factor (RF) in serum of rats were detected, the pathological changes of synovial tissues were investigated, and the effects on MAPK/p38/NF-κB, TLR4/NF-κB protein expressions were explored by Western blot. Results Compared with the model group, the total extract of P. insignis and the eluted part of macroporous resin 60% ethanol could significantly reduce the degree of joint swelling in CIA rats, effectively improve the pathological changes of rats synovium tissues, and significantly reduce the levels of rat tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in serum inflammatory factors, and markedly decrease the expression of related inflammatory proteins (TLR4, NF-κB, Myd88, p-p38, p-IκBα, iNOS, etc) in synovial tissue. Conclusions (1) P. insignis can relieve the symptoms of joint inflammation in rats with rheumatoid arthritis, and the eluted part of macroporous resin 60% ethanol of P. insignis is the effective active part for anti-rheumatoid arthritis. (2) The total and partial extracts of P. insignis can relieve arthritis symptoms in CIA rats through inhibiting the MAPK/ p38/NF-κB and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Cholinergic dysfunction-induced insufficient activation of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor drives the development of rheumatoid arthritis through promoting protein citrullination via the SP3/PAD4 pathway

Both cholinergic dysfunction and protein citrullination are the hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the relationship between the two phenomena remains unclear. We explored whether and how cholinergic dysfunction accelerates protein citrullination and consequently drives the development of RA. Cholinergic function and protein citrullination levels in patients with RA and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice were collected. In both neuron-macrophage coculture system and CIA mice, the effect of cholinergic dysfunction on protein citrullination and expression of peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) was assessed by immunofluorescence. The key transcription factors for PAD4 expression were predicted and validated. Cholinergic dysfunction in the patients with RA and CIA mice negatively correlated with the degree of protein citrullination in synovial tissues. The cholinergic or alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) deactivation and activation resulted in the promotion and reduction of protein citrullination in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Especially, the activation deficiency of α7nAChR induced the earlier onset and aggravation of CIA. Furthermore, deactivation of α7nAChR increased the expression of PAD4 and specificity protein-3 (SP3) in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that cholinergic dysfunction-induced deficient α7nAChR activation, which induces the expression of SP3 and its downstream molecule PAD4, accelerating protein citrullination and the development of RA.

Morphofunctional analysis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in human rheumatoid arthritis and mouse collagen-induced arthritis

Abstract Background Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) play a prominent role in rheumatoid synovitis and degradation of the extracellular matrix through the production of inflammatory cytokines and metalloproteinases (MMPs). Since animal models are frequently used for elucidating the disease mechanism and therapeutic development, it is relevant to study the ultrastructural characteristics and functional responses in human and mouse FLS. The objective of the study was to analyze ultrastructural characteristics, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) production and the activation of intracellular pathways in Fibroblast like synoviocytes (FLS) cultures obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and from mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Methods FLSs were obtained from RA patients (RA-FLSs) (n = 8) and mice with CIA (CIA-FLSs) (n = 4). Morphology was assessed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. IL-6 and MMP-3 production was measured by ELISA, and activation of intracellular signaling pathways (NF-κB and MAPK: p-ERK1/2, p-P38 and p-JNK) was measured by Western blotting in cultures of RA-FLSs and CIA-FLSs stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-1β. Results RA-FLS and CIA-FLS cultures exhibited rich cytoplasm, rough endoplasmic reticula and prominent and well- developed Golgi complexes. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of lamellar bodies, which are cytoplasmic structures related to surfactant production, in FLSs from both sources. Increased levels of pinocytosis and numbers of pinocytotic vesicles were observed in RA-FLSs (p < 0.05). Basal production of MMP-3 and IL-6 was present in RA-FLSs and CIA-FLSs. Regarding the production of MMP-3 and IL-6 and the activation of signaling pathways, the present study demonstrated a lower response to IL-1β by CIA-FLSs than by RA-FLSs. Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the biology of RA-FLS and CIA-FLS. The differences and similarities in ultrastructural morphology and important inflammatory cytokines shown, contribute to future in vitro studies using RA-FLS and CIA-FLS, in addition, they indicate that the adoption of CIA-FLS for studies should take careful and be well designed, since they do not completely resemble human diseases.

Effect of miR-124a on collagen-induced arthritis in mice and the underlying mechanisms / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease. MicroRNA has been shown to play an important role in RA. MicroRNA-124a (miR-124a) has anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects in RA fibroblast synovial cells. This study aims to explore the effects of miR-124a overexpression on arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice and the underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Bovine type II collagen and complete Ferris adjuvant were used to induce CIA model from DBA/1 mice. Twenty-eight days after initial immunization (D28), CIA mice were randomly divided into a model group, a miR-124a treatment group, and a negative control (NC) group. Physiological saline, miR-124a agomir, and miR-124a agomir NC were injected into the skin at the tail root of mice every 3 days for 4 times, respectively. The degree of joint swelling and arthritis index of mice were recorded accordingly. Sixty-three days after initial immunization (D63), the mice were sacrificed to obtain the synovial tissue of ankle joint. HE staining was used to observe the proliferation of synovial cell, infiltration of inflammatory cell, pannus, and bone erosion of synovial tissues; TUNEL staining was used to detect cell apoptosis; qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of miR-124a, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) and its downstream genes Bcl-2 and Bax. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein expression of PIK3CA, Bcl-2, and Bax protein in synovial tissues of each group.@*RESULTS@#Different degrees of swelling presented in the paws of DBA/1 mice at D28, which indicated the CIA model was constructed successfully. Forty-eight days after initial immunization (D48), the paws of mice in the miR-124a treatment group were only slightly red and swollen, while the paws of mice in the model group and the NC group were obviously red and swollen. The arthritis index of mice in the miR-124a treatment group were decreased significantly compared to the NC group at D51, D53, D59, and D62 (51, 53, 59, 62 days after initial immunization) (all P<0.05). Sixty-three days after initial immunization (D63), HE staining indicated that the scores of synovial cell proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, synovial pannus, and bone erosion were significantly reduced in the miR-124a treatment group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while cell apoptosis was increased in the miR-124a treatment group compared with the model group and NC group (P<0.01 or P<0.001). Besides, the expression of miR-124a and Bax in the synovial tissue in miR-124a treatment group was significantly higher than those in the model group and NC group (P<0.01 or P<0.001), while the expressions of PIK3CA and Bcl-2 were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001), and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax was significantly decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Overexpression of miR-124a can reduce arthritis in CIA mice bacause it could promote synovial cell apoptosis and inhibit synovial cell proliferation via targeting PIK3CA and regulating its downstream pathways.

Therapeutic Mechanism of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang on Rheumatoid Arthritis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo reveal the mechanism of action of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by pharmacological research based on its clinical application. MethodThe collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） rat model was established by injecting bovine type Ⅱ collagen and Freund's adjuvant at the tail， and was treated with different concentrations of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang. The rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， methotrexate （0.9 mg·kg-1） group， and Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang low- and high-dose （5.13， 20.52 g·kg-1·d-1） groups， with continuous intragastric administration for 4 weeks. The degree of joint swelling， weight， degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score were determined and the pathological changes of ankle joints were detected by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining to observe the therapeutic effect of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang on rheumatoid arthritis. In addition， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot were used to measure the expression of interleukin 1β （IL-1β）， interleukin 6 （IL-6）， interleukin 10 （IL-10） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum and the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） pathway related proteins in synovial tissue， respectively to clarify the molecular mechanism of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. ResultCompared with the conditions in blank group， the body weight and IL-10 level were decreased （P<0.01）， and the degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score， the levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α， and the expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins were increased （P<0.01，） in the model group， with impaired morphology and function of the ankle joint. Additionally， compared with the model group， Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang low- and high-dose groups had increased body weight of rats and IL-10 level （P<0.01）， and reduced degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score （P<0.05， P<0.01）， levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.01） and expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with improved function and morphology of the ankle joint. ConclusionHuangqi Guizhi Wuwutang can significantly alleviate joint inflammatory injury by down-regulating NF-κB pathway and reducing the inflammatory response in CIA rats.

Effect of Asiaticoside on Expression of Th17/Treg Cells in DBA/1 Mice with Collagen-Induced Arthritis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of asiaticoside （AC） on the expression of T helper 17 （Th17） cells and regulatory T （Treg） cells in DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis （CIA）. MethodMale SPF DBA/1 mice were randomized into six groups according to body weight： control group， CIA group， methotrexate group （MTX group， ip， 0.5 mg·kg-1）， and AC low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （ig， 5， 15， 45 mg·kg-1， respectively）. Modeling was performed in rats other than the control group. To be specific， they were immunized with bovine type Ⅱ collagen and complete Freund's adjuvant on the first day and with bovine type Ⅱ collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant on the 21st day. Administration began on the day of the second immunization， once a day for 28 days. On the 49th day， related tissues were collected. Then， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of the joints. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of interleukin-17 （IL-17） and forkhead box protein-3 （FoxP3）， the markers of Th17 and Treg cells， respectively， immunofluorescence double staining the expression of IL-17 and FoxP3 in CD4+T cells of mouse joint tissue， and flow cytometry the proportions of Th17 and Treg cells in mouse lymph nodes. ResultCompared with the control group， CIA group demonstrated joint disorder， damage of articular cartilage and bone， severe bone erosion （P<0.01）， increase in stained CD4 and IL-17 and the integral absorbance （IA） （P<0.01）， decrease in stained FoxP3 and the IA （P<0.01）， rise of Th17/Treg ratio （P<0.01）， elevation of Th17 expression in mouse lymph nodes （P<0.01）， and reduction in Treg expression （P<0.01）. Compared with CIA group， MTX group and three AC groups showed normal joints， alleviated bone erosion and damage， intact and smooth joint surface， and decrease in stained IL-17 and IA （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MTX group and AC medium-dose and high-dose groups registered decrease in stained CD4 and IA （P<0.01） and reduction in Th17/Treg ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， AC medium-dose and high-dose groups showed rise in stained FoxP3 and IA （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the lymph nodes of mice， decrease in expression of Th17 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the increase in expression of Treg cells （P<0.05， P<0.01） were observed in all the three AC group. ConclusionAC can regulate Th17/Treg balance by inhibiting the expression of Th17 cells and promoting the expression of Treg cells in CIA mice.

Huanglian Jiedutang Regulates Inflammatory Immunity to Relieve Rheumatoid Arthritis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on pathological and immune damage in collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） model mice， and to explore the possible mechanism of Huanglian Jiedutang in relieving rheumatoid arthritis. MethodTwenty-four DBA/1 mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， methotrexate group and Huanglian Jiedutang group， with six mice in each group. The CIA mice model were established using type Ⅱ collagen induction. The administration groups were respectively treated with Huanglian Jiedutang （5 g·kg-1） and methotrexate （0.5 mg·kg-1）. The joint swelling symptoms of the mice were observed， and the arthritis index was scored every 3 days. Flow cytometry was employed to detect granulocytes， monocytes， and T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The expression of inflammatory cytokines in joint was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The ankle joint was scanned by micro-computed tomography （Micro-CT）， and the histopathological changes were observed through hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. ResultCompared with the normal group， the modeling led to joint swelling， elevated the joint index score （P<0.05）， increased the proportion of granulocytes （P<0.05） and decreased that of monocytes and T lymphocytes （P<0.01） in peripheral blood， and raised the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） （P<0.01）. Further， it up-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin （IL）-1β， and IL-6 in joint （P<0.01）. Micro-CT showed obvious bone destruction in the ankle joint， and pathological examination revealed the infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells and the synovial hyperplasia of joint tissue. Compared with the model group， Huanglian Jiedutang alleviated the symptoms of joint swelling， lowered the score of arthritis index （P<0.05）， increased the proportion of T lymphocytes and lowered NLR （P<0.01）. Moreover， it down-regulated the expression levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 in joint （P<0.01） and alleviated the bone destruction and pathological injury of joint tissue. ConclusionType Ⅱ collagen caused systemic and local inflammatory immune damage in CIA mice. Huanglian Jiedutang alleviates such injury， especially for that in local joint， thereby inhibiting joint injury and bone destruction in CIA mice.

Anti-inflammatory effects of aucubin in cellular and animal models of rheumatoid arthritis / 中国天然药物

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. It is known that aucubin (AU) exerts anti-inflammatory activity, but its effects and mechanisms in RA are unclear. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of AU in vivo and in vitro. Human fibroblast-like synoviocyte cells from patients with RA (HFLS-RA), RAW264.7 cells, and MC3T3-E1 cells were used to evaluate the effects of AU on migration, invasion, apoptosis, osteoclast differentiation and production. Immunofluorescence was used to observe nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, the double luciferase reporter gene method was used to observe NF-κB-p65 activity in AU-treated MC3T3-E1 cells. RT-qPCR was used to measure expression of bone metabolism and inflammation-related genes, and western blot was used to measure bone metabolism and NF-κB protein expression levels. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was used for pharmacodynamics study. Arthritis indexes were measured in the ankle and knee, histological staining and Micro-computed tomography were performed on the ankle joints. Also, inflammatory factor gene expression and the levels of NF-κB-related proteins were detected as in vitro. AU effectively inhibited HFLS-RA cell migration and invasion, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited RAW264.7 cell differentiation into osteoclasts, as well as inhibited NF-κB-p65 activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Notably, AU significantly reduced the gene expression levels of three cell-related inflammatory factors and bone metabolism factors, effectively inhibited the expression of p-Iκκα β, p-IκBα, and p-p65 proteins. In vivo, AU relieved joint inflammation, reduced related inflammatory factors, and inhibited NF-κB signaling. It could be used to treat RA-related synovial inflammation and bone destruction through the NF-κB pathway.

Therapeutic effects of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α siRNA on collagen-induced arthritis in mice and its inhibitory effects on M1 macrophages / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice and to analyze the possible mechanism at the macrophage level.Methods:DBA/1 mice were injected with bovine type Ⅱ collagen to establish the CIA model. Then, they were injected with HIF-1α-siRNA adenovirus or negative control adenovirus through tail vein once a week for four weeks. This study included four groups: control group, CIA model group, negative control group and HIF-1α-siRNA group. Mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were isolated and cultured. The relative expression of CD206 and arginine (Arg) at mRNA level in mouse BMDMs was detected by RT-PCR. The proportions of F4/80 + CD16/32 + M1 and F4/80 + CD206 + M2 macrophages in spleen and thymus were detected by flow cytometry. Pathological changes in the ankle joint of mice were observed using HE staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of macrophages and the subsets in mouse synovial tissues. Results:(1) Compared with the control group, the CIA model group showed decreased expression of CD206 at mRNA level in BMDMs, but increased expression of Arg at mRNA level ( P<0.01). HIF-1α-siRNA increased the expression of CD206 at mRNA level ( P<0.05) and reduced the expression of Arg at mRNA level in BMDMs of mice with CIA ( P<0.01). (2) Compared with the control group, the mice in the CIA model group had increased proportions of F4/80 + CD16/32 + M1 macrophages in splenocytes and thymocytes ( P<0.05), but decreased proportions of F4/80 + CD206 + M2 macrophages in thymocytes ( P<0.05). HIF-1α-siRNA could down-regulate the proportions of F4/80 + CD16/32 + M1 macrophages in splenocytes and thymocytes ( P<0.05), and up-regulate the proportions of F4/80 + CD206 + M2 macrophages in thymocytes of CIA mice ( P<0.01). (3) CIA mice had synovial hyperplasia and macrophages infiltration, especially M1 macrophages, in the ankle joint. HIF-1α-siRNA could alleviate the synovial hyperplasia and macrophage infiltration. Conclusions:HIF-1α-siRNA could alleviate macrophage infiltration and synovial hyperplasia in CIA mice through reducing the proportions of M1 macrophages in thymocytes, BMDMs and synovial tissues and increasing the proportion of M2 macrophages, suggesting that HIF-1α-siRNA could treat CIA mice by regulating the differentiation of M1 and M2 macrophages.

Therapeutic effects of benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin in rats with collagen-induced arthritis

Abstract To explore the effects and mechanisms of benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Weight, paw swelling, arthritis index and joint pathologic changes were examined in each group after CIA induction. PGE2, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, VEGF, MMP-3, IgG and anti-CII Ab were assessed by ELISA; STAT1 and STAT3 expressions were analyzed immunohistochemically, and the ultrastructure of synovial cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Therapeutic effects were determined in CIA rats via injecting benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin, which could alleviate the degree of swelling and arthritis index (AI) and pathological lesions of the sacroiliac gland; decrease the levels of PGE2, IL-1ß, TNF-α, VEGF and IgG in serum; reduce STAT1 and STAT3 expression in the membrane tissue; and inhibit the secretion and proliferation of synovial cells. These results showed that benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin could significantly palliate the arthritic symptoms of CIA rats, and better therapeutic effects could be achieved if the two components were used in combination

Effect of Fangji Huangqitang on DBA/1 Mice Collagen Induced Arthritis and Synovial Angiogenesis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Fangji Huangqitang （FJHQT） on collagen induced arthritis （CIA） and synovial angiogenesis in DBA/1 mice. Method:DBA/1 mice were randomly divided into normal group， CIA group and FJHQT group. DBA/1 mice in CIA group and FJHQT group were immunized with bovine type Ⅱ collagen and complete Freund's adjuvant on the first day， and DBA/1 mice were immunized with bovine type Ⅱ collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant on the 21^st day to establish CIA model. On the day of the second immunization， the drug was given by gavage once a day for 28 days. On the 22^nd day， the arthritis score and other symptoms of CIA mice were observed. On the 49^th day， Hematoxylin eosin （HE） staining was carried out to observe the angiogenesis in the synovium of CIA mice， the expression of vascular endothelial cell marker platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （CD31） and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） in the synovium of CIA mice were detected. Immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the mature and immature vessels in the synovium of CIA mice. And the microvascular growth of the rat thoracic aortic ring was induced by VEGF （20 μg·L^-1）. The effects of FJHQT （0.25， 0.5， 1 g·L^-1） at different concentrations were observed under microscope. Result:Compared with the normal group， the inflammation， joints， red and swelling of the inflammatory joints of the CIA group were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The scores of clinical arthritis， the incidence rate， synovial inflammation and angiogenesis were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The density of blood vessels， the positive expression of CD31 and VEGF， the number of immature vessels in synovial membrane were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. And compared with the CIA group， the inflammation， joint swelling， and malformation of the FJHQT group were significantly improved， the clinical arthritis score， incidence rate， synovial inflammation and angiogenesis were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The vascular density， the positive expression of CD31 and VEGF， and the number of immature blood vessels in synovial membrane were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with blank group， VEGF could significantly induce the growth of microvasculature in rat thoracic aortic ring （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with VEGF group， FJHQT（0.25， 0.5， 1 g·L^-1） could significantly inhibit the formation of microvasculature in rat thoracic aortic ring （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:FJHQT can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms and condition of CIA mice， reduce the clinical arthritis score and incidence rate，and inhibit the synovial angiogenesis of CIA mice joints and VEGF induced microvascular formation in rat thoracic aortic rings.

Inhibitory Effect of Duanteng Yimu Decoction on Pannus Formation in Mice with Collagen-induced Arthritis Based on VEGF Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of Duanteng Yimu decoction （DTYM） in the inhibition of pannus formation in collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） mice. Method:Twenty-four SPF-grade DBA/1 male mice were randomly divided into the following four groups： a blank group （NC group）， a model group （CIA group）， a methotrexate group （MTX group）， and a DTYM group， with six mice in each group. The mice， except for those in the NC group， were modeled. From the second immunization， the medium， MTX （1 mg·kg^-1）， and DTYM （15.4 g·kg^-1） were administered at an equal volume by gavage for 35 days. Mice were observed for general condition and the arthritis index. The knee and ankle joints were scanned by microcomputed tomography （micro CT）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and safranin O/fast green staining were performed to observe pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （CD31）， vascular endothelial growth factor-<italic>α</italic> （VEGF-<italic>α</italic>）， vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， and phosphorylated（p）-VEGFR2. Result:Compared with the NC group， the CIA group showed red and swollen ankle joints， increased arthritis index scores （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， manifest injury in the knee and ankle joints， reduced cartilage thickness， elevated Micro CT bone destruction scores of knee and ankle joints （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and up-regulated absorbance values of synovial CD31， VEGF-<italic>α</italic>， VEGFR2， and p-VEGFR2 （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the CIA group， the DTYM group showed relieved ankle joint redness and swelling， reduced arthritis index scores of mice three weeks after administration （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， intact joint surfaces of the knee and ankle joints， thickened cartilage， declining Micro CT bone destruction scores in both the knee and ankle joints （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， and lowered absorbance values of CD31， VEGF-<italic>α</italic>， VEGFR2， and p-VEGFR2 in the synovium （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:DTYM can inhibit the pannus formation in CIA mice presumedly by regulating the VEGF pathway.

Polyherbal formula SC-E3 inhibits rheumatoid arthritis activity in a mouse model of type-II collagen-induced arthritis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#SC-E3 is a polyherbal formula that contains five medicinal herbs used frequently in traditional herbal medicine. In our previous study, we demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of SC-E3. The present study examined the effects of SC-E3 in a mouse model of type-II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).@*METHODS@#In vivo, male DBA/1J mice were immunized by intradermal injection of bovine type-II collagen and complete or incomplete Freund's adjuvant, to induce arthritis. SC-E3 was orally administered daily for 23 days. In vitro, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were treated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in the absence or presence of SC-E3.@*RESULTS@#Administrations of SC-E3 were found to have anti-arthritic effects in the joints of CIA mice, as evidenced by reduced paw swelling, bone erosion and deformation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and inflammation in synovial membrane. SC-E3 also reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Furthermore, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclast numbers in the joints were significantly lower in SC-E3-treated CIA mice than in CIA mice. In addition, the differentiations of BMMs to multinucleated osteoclasts induced by M-CSF and RANKL stimulation were dose-dependently reduced by SC-E3.@*CONCLUSION@#These results suggest that SC-E3 possesses substantial anti-arthritic activity because it inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines and osteoclastogenesis, and that SC-E3 has potential therapeutic use for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Mechanism of oxymatrine in treatment of collagen-induced arthritis in mice / 中国中药杂志

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix, the root of Sophora flavescens Ait., has been widely applied in the medical field due to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bacteriostatic, antiviral, antitumor, and other pharmacological effects. The present study investigated the anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect of oxymatrine(OMT), the active component of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix by observing its effect on the function of B lymphocytes in collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) mice through the Toll-like receptor 9(TLR9)/myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) pathway. The CIA model in DBA/1 J mice was induced by bovine type Ⅱ collagen and complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA). Fifteen days after the primary immunization, mice were treated with OMT for 30 days by intraperitoneal injection. Paw swelling and arthritis index(AI) score were evaluated every 3 days. Joint histopathologic changes were observed by HE staining. Magnetic-activated cell sorting(MACS) was used to isolate B lymphocytes from the spleen of CIA mice spleen. The serum expression level of interleukin(IL)-21 was examined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression of TLR9, STAT3, p-STAT3, and IL-21 in B lymphocytes was detected by Western blot. The mRNA expression of TLR9, STAT3, and IL-21 in B lymphocytes was detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR). The results showed that OMT could significantly alleviate the paw swelling, decrease the AI score, relieve synovial inflammatory cell infiltration and hyperplasia, reduce the level of inflammatory cytokines, and inhibit the expression of TLR9, STAT3, p-STAT3, and IL-21 of B lymphocytes in CIA mice. Therefore, OMT may alleviate rheumatoid arthritis by regulating TLR9/MyD88/STAT3 pathway in B lymphocytes, providing a valuable reference for the application of OMT in the clinical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Effects of Codonopsis tralictrifolia Extract on Collagen-induced Arthritis Model Rats and Its Mechanism Study / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To study the effec ts of Tibetan Codonopsis tralictrifolia extract （called“ZDS”for short ） on collagen-induced arthritis （CIA）model rats and its mechanism. METHODS ：Eight of 48 rats were randomly selected as normal control group （normal saline ），and the remaining 40 rats were used to establish CIA model. After successful modeling ，the rats were randomly divided into model group （normal saline ），ZDS low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （0.44，0.88，1.76 g/kg，by crude drug ），dexamethasone group （positive control ，0.002 5 g/kg），with 8 rats in each group. They were given relevant medicine intragastrically ，the volume of 400 μL，once a day ，for consecutive 28 days. The body weight of rats were weighed before medication （0 d），7，14，21 and 28 days after medication ；and arthritis indexes were scored. The pathological changes of the knee joint synoviual tissue were observed after last medication. The thymus index ，spleen index ，the levels of serum inflammatory factors （IL-1β，TNF-α，IL-6），protein expressions of NF-κB p65，p-NF-κB p65，IκB and p-IκB in synovial tissue were detected. RESULTS ：Compared with normal control group ，the body weight （14，21，28 days after administration ）of rats in model group was significantly reduced （P＜0.05）；the arthritis index score （before administration and different administration time）was significantly increased （P＜0.05）；the joint synovial tissue was pathologically damaged ；the thymus and spleen index ， inflammation factor level ，the protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 and p-IκB were increased significantly（P＜0.05），while the protein expression of IκB was decreased significantly（P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，the level of IL- 1β was decreased significantly in ZDS low-dose group （P＜0.05）. Body weight of rats （21，28 days after administration ）were increased significantly in ZDS medium-dose and high-dose groups ，dexamethasone group （P＜0.05），while arthritis index score （14，21，28 days after administration ） was decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The pathological damage of joint synovial tissue was significantly relieved ；thymus and spleen index ，inflammation factor level ，the protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 and p-IκB were significantly reduced，while the protein expression of IκB was significantly increased （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ：ZDS can improve CIA model rats to some extent ，and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway.

Therapeutic mechanism of Psammosilene tunicoides extract on rheumatoid arthritis based on NLRP3 inflammasome / 中国中药杂志

In this study, we investigated the mechanism of crude extract of Psammosilene tunicoides(CEPT) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) based on the Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome. The collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) mouse model was established. On day 32 after the primary immunization, according to the arthritis score, the mice were randomly divided into model group, positive control(methotrexate) group, low-and high-dose CEPT groups, and normal group, with 10 mice in each group. According to the administration dose of each group, the mice were continuously administered for 21 days. Every four days during the administration, the paw edema degree, arthritis score, and spleen index of the mice were measured; histopathological examination was performed for the ankles of the mice; the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in the serum were determined; the protein expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), as well as the mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in the ankle joints of the mice were detected. The results showed that compared with those in the model group, the mice in the positive control group and CEPT groups had significantly decreased the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in the serum and spleen index(P<0.01), significantly lowered arthritis score and degree of paw edema(P<0.01), alleviated arthritic infiltration of the knee, and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 in the ankle joint(P<0.01). These results suggest that P. tunicoides may reduce the paw edema and arthritis score and alleviate the inflammatory response in CIA mice by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3. This study provides a basis for the study of immune regulation of P. tunicoides in RA.