Inhibition of Pannus Formation by Wutoutang in AIA Rats with Wind-cold-dampness Bi Syndrome Via Down-regulating HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect of Wutoutang on pannus formation in adjuvant-induced arthritis （AIA） rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome and its potential mechanism. MethodA total of 40 male SD specific pathogen-free （SPF） rats were selected and divided into blank group， wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome group ［Complete Freund's Adjuvant （CFA）， 200 μg］， Wutoutang group （15 g·kg-1·d-1）， and indometacin group （10 mg·kg-1） according to random number table method. Except for the blank group， the other groups were given wind-cold-dampness stimulation before the CFA injection. After the rats were administered for 30 days， the basic conditions， onset time， arthritis index score， and foot swelling volume of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome were observed. Finally， peripheral arterial blood， ankle joint， and synovial tissue were taken. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） protein content， and rheumatism， including anti-O （ASO）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and rheumatoid factor （RF）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining revealed the changes in joint histomorphology. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and VEGFA， two important proteins in the ankle pathway. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to reveal mRNA levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， angiopoietin-1 （Ang-1）， and angiopoietin-2 （Ang-2） in rat synovial tissue. ResultThe foot swelling volume and arthritis score of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome were substantially higher （P<0.01） compared with the blank group. Serum CRP， RF， and ASO levels were considerably elevated （P<0.01）. HE staining showed obvious hyperplasia of ankle synovium and synovial inflammation， angiogenesis and pannus formation， and aggravated bone destruction， indicating successful modeling. After the intervention of Wutoutang， the onset time was delayed （P<0.01）. Foot swelling volume and arthritis score were decreased （P<0.01）. Serum CRP， RF， and ASO levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The inflammatory hyperplasia of synovial tissue， angiogenesis and pannus formation， and bone destruction were alleviated. The mRNA levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， Ang-1， and Ang-2 in the synovial membrane were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of HIF-1α and VEGFA in serum and ankle joints were decreased （P<0.01）. In the indomethacin group， the onset time of the disease was delayed （P<0.01）. Foot swelling volume and arthritis score were decreased （P<0.01）. Serum CRP， RF， and ASO levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang signaling pathway was activated， and pathological tissue injury was improved. ConclusionWutoutang can delay the onset time of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome， reduce foot swelling volume， arthritis score， rheumatic activity， and improve joint histopathology. It can inhibit pannus formation， and its mechanism may be related to down-regulating the expression of the HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang pathway.

Wutoutang Modulation Hippocampal BDNF/TrkB Pathway to Relieve Pain-emotion Co-curation / 中国实验方剂学杂志

<b>Objective::To explore the mediating effect of Wutoutang (WTT) on brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (BDNF/TrkB) pathway in hippocampus and to clarify the mechanism of therapeutic action of WTD on pain-emotion comorbidity by inhibiting neuropathic pain (NP) preliminarily. <b>Method::The mice were divided into sham group, spinal cord ligation (SNL) group, Wutoutang (WTT) group, Wutoutang-ANA12 antagonist (WTT-ANA12) group, pregabalin (PGB) group, Fluoxetine Hydrochloride (FLU) group randomly. Mice were fixed with the drug delivery cannula for hippocampal CA3.The L5 spinal cord of mice were tightly ligated but sham group (only exposed). During the 10-16^th day after surgery, WTT, WTT-ANA12 groups were gavaged with 126 mg·kg^-1 WTT, PGB and FLU groups were respectively given 25 mg·kg^-1 PGB and 3 mg·kg^-1 FLU, sham and SNL groups were given the physiological saline once a day. Then, 50 nmol·L^-1 ANA12 were given to the hippoicampal CA3 of the WTT-ANA12 mice by drug delivery cannula, and physiological saline were given to the others on the 10-16^th day after surgery. Mechanical pain were detected by Von Frey tests, anxiety and depression behaviors were separately detected by the open field and the tail tailing experiments, while the morphology of CA3 pyramidal neurons were qualified by the Golgi-staining. <b>Result::Compared with sham group, significant decreases of the mechanical pain thresholds, decreases of the duration time in the open field, as well as the increases of the no-struggling time during the tail-suspension were detected in the SNL mice(<italic>P</italic><0.01). In addition, as illustrated by the Golgi-staining, the atrophy of hippocampal pyramidal neurons were found in SNL mice as compared with sham(<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01). On the contrary, as compared to the SNL, significant increases of the mechanical pain thresholds, increases of the duration time in the open field, the decreases of the no-struggling time during the tail-suspension(<italic>P</italic><0.01), as well as the morphological improvements of the hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons were detected in the WTT mice. Furthermore, after 7 d hippocampal injections, There is no significant distinction of the mechanical pain thresholds, the duration time in the open field, the no-struggling time during the tail-suspension, as well as the atrophy of hippocampal neurons were detected in the WTT-ANA12 groups as compared with SNL. <b>Conclusion::The data suggested that the effective inhibition of WTT on SNL-induced vertebral neuron injury in hippocampus CA3 and pain-emotion disorder, which might attribute to it' s regulation of BDNF/TrkB pathway in hippocampus.

Neuroprotective Effect by Wutoutang in Spinal Nerve Ligation Mice via BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To investigate the neuroprotective effect and mechanism by Wutoutang (WTT) in the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) mice by neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling BDNF/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB). Method::The 40 mice were randomly divided into Sham group, SNL group, WTT group(126 mg·kg-1), ANA-12+ WTT group.The L5 spinal nerve ligation model mice were established in mice, After that, WTT was administrated from the first day to the 10th day, then the consecutive 7-day hippocampal injection of ANA-12(0.05 nmol·L-1)were lasted for 7 days.The levels of brain-derived BDNF, cAMP-response element binding protein(CREB), and protein kinase B(Akt)and the change of hippocampal glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in mice were detected by tissue immunofluorescence.E14 pregnant ICR mice were sacrificed and the hippocampus were dissected which were divided into control group, glycine group, tumo necrosis factor(TNF)-α(5 mg·L-1)+ glycine group, TNF-α+ WTT(5 mg·L-1)+ glycine group, TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ BDNF-siRNA group, TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ Akt-siRNA group, TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ CREB-siRNA group, the primary and secondary dendrrictes, in which the arrowheads indicate the expression od postsynapti desity protein 95(PSD95) in the shafts and arrows were tested by cellular immunofluorescence.The neurons were divided into control group, glycine group, ANA-12 group(0.5 mmol·L-1), ANA-12+ glycine group, ANA-12+ WTT group, ANA-12+ WTT+ glycine group, the morphology of hippocampal neurons were tested by cellular immunofluorescence. Result::Compared with Sham group, BDNF, Akt and CREB positive cell of SNL group decreased significantly(P<0.01), the hippocampal glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons out of balance(P<0.01). Compared with SNL group, the BDNF, Akt and CREB positive cell of WTT group increased significantly(P<0.01), Glutamine-aminobutyric acid neurons regein balance(P<0.01). Compared with WTT group, BDNF and CREB positive cell of ANA-12+ WTT group decreased significantly(P<0.05), Glutamine-aminobutyric acid neurons was disorderedd(P<0.05). Comparaed with control group, the level of PSD95 of glycine group were increase significantly(P<0.01). The number of dendritic spine density apically and basally of glycine group were increase significantly(P<0.01), but the primary and secondary dendrites of ANA-12 group, ANA-12+ glycine group, ANA-12+ WTT group, ANA-12+ WTT+ glycine group were not change.Comparaed with glycine group, the level of PSD95 of TNF-α+ glycine group were decreased significantly(P<0.01). Comparaed with TNF-α+ glycine group, the level of PSD95 of TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine group were increase significantly(P<0.01). Comparaed with TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine group, the level of PSD95 of TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ BDNF-siRNA group, TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ Akt-siRNA group, TNF-α+ WTT+ glycine+ CREB-siRNA group were decreased significantly(P<0.01). Conclusion::In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that the WTT mediated remission of the primary hippocampal glutamatergic neurons were dependent on the BDNF/TrkB pathway.