Zhan Jing-Hui, Wang Pei-Pei, Cui Zhen-Hua, Yue Xiao-Qi, Zhang Yan-Li
Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan 750004, China.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2021 Nov;46(22):5895-5901. doi: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20210708.701.
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.
苦参根,即苦参(Sophora flavescens Ait.)的根,因其抗炎、镇痛、抑菌、抗病毒、抗肿瘤等药理作用而在医学领域得到广泛应用。本研究通过观察氧化苦参碱(OMT)对胶原诱导性关节炎(CIA)小鼠B淋巴细胞功能的影响,探讨其通过Toll样受体9(TLR9)/髓样分化因子88(MyD88)/信号转导和转录激活因子3(STAT3)通路对类风湿关节炎的作用。用牛Ⅱ型胶原和完全弗氏佐剂(CFA)诱导DBA/1 J小鼠建立CIA模型。初次免疫15天后,小鼠腹腔注射OMT治疗30天。每3天评估爪肿胀和关节炎指数(AI)评分。通过HE染色观察关节组织病理学变化。采用磁珠分选法(MACS)从CIA小鼠脾脏中分离B淋巴细胞。用酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)检测血清白细胞介素(IL)-21表达水平。用蛋白质免疫印迹法检测B淋巴细胞中TLR9、STAT3、p-STAT3和IL-21的表达。用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)检测B淋巴细胞中TLR9、STAT3和IL-21的mRNA表达。结果显示,OMT可显著减轻爪肿胀,降低AI评分,减轻滑膜炎症细胞浸润和增生,降低炎性细胞因子水平,并抑制CIA小鼠B淋巴细胞中TLR9、STAT3、p-STAT3和IL-21的表达。因此,OMT可能通过调节B淋巴细胞中的TLR9/MyD88/STAT3通路来缓解类风湿关节炎,为OMT在类风湿关节炎临床治疗中的应用提供了有价值的参考。