RESUMO
This study was aimed to observe the effects ofFeng-Shi-Ning (FSN) capsule on the balance of IL-17+CD4+T (Th17) / Foxp3+CD4+CD25+regulatory T (Treg) cells in peripheral blood and the inflammatory media in synovial fluid of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in order to further study the mechanism of FSN capsule in RA treatment. The collagen-induced arthritisⅡ (CIA) was used in the RA rat model establishment. The balance of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood was analyzed by the flow cytometry method for effects of FSN capsule treatment. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-4 and IL-10 in synovial fluid were measured by cytometric bead array (CBA) method. The effects of the normal rats, CIA model rats and the rats treated by tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablet (TPT) were compared. The results showed that compared with the model group, the percentage of Th17 cells in both the FSN capsule group and high-dose CIA group were obviously decreased (P 0.05). There was no significant difference on Th17 and Treg cells among each treatment group and TPT group (P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, the high-dose and middle dose FSN can obviously reduce the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17A in synovial fluid of rats in each FSN group (P 0.05). Compared with the TPT group, there were no significant differences on IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17A, IL-4 and IL-10 in each treatment group (P > 0.05). It was concluded that FSN can obviously reduce the percentage of Th17, decrease the secretion of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-17A in synovial fluid. However, it had no obvious effects on the percentage of Treg cells, or the secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 in synovial fluid. The mechanism of FSN capsule in RA treatment may be through regulating Th17 cells, adjusting body immune imbalance, and inhibiting the excessive secretion of inflammatory media in synovial fluid.