Effect of Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsules containing serum on oxidative stress and protein expression of AMPK and FoxO3a in rheumatoid arthritis patients / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

To study the effect of Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsules containing serum on the protein expressions of AMPK and FoxO3 a in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA), in order to explore the mechanism of anti-oxidation. Peripheral anticoagulant was collected from patients and normal people. Monocytes(PBMC) were isolated through density gradient centrifugation, and the logarithmic phase cells were cultured. Drug containing serum was prepared through intragastric admini-stration to SD rats. The rats were divided into five groups, namely normal group, model group, AMPK blocker group(compound C 10 μmol·L~(-1)), medium-dose HQC+AMPK blocker group, and middle-dose HQC group. The cell inhibition rate was calculated by MTT method. The levels of IL-1β, IL-4, LPO, MDA, SOD and TAOC were detected by ELISA. The expressions of AMPK, p-AMPK, p-FoxO3 a and FoxO3 a were detected by Western blot. The HQC containing serum had an inhibitory effect on human monocytes in peripheral blood. The best concentration was observed in middle-dose HQC, and the best time was 24 hours. Middle-dose HQC group was better than model group, AMPK blocker group and middle-dose HQC + AMPK blocker group in terms of increase of SOD, p-AMPK, p-FoxO3 a and decrease of LPO. It was better than model group and AMPK blocker group in terms of increase of IL-4, TAOC, AMPK, FoxO3 a and decrease of IL-1β, MDA. The differences were statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The HQC containing serum may increase the levels of TAOC and SOD, decrease the level of MDA and LPO, activate AMPK, directly phosphorylate FOXO3 a, enhance its transcriptional activity, and improve the state of oxidative stress in RA patients.