Zhuifeng tougu capsules(追风透骨胶囊)improve rheumatoid arthri-tis symptoms in rats by regulating the toll-like receptor 2/4-nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway

• 作者: GONG Hui KUANG Gaoyan WU Yongrong LU Fangguo DENG Yihui HE Yanlin WANG Hengxin
• 来源期刊: 中医杂志（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（3）
• 所属期刊栏目: Research Articles
• 页码范围: 447-454
• 页数: 8页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2021.03.013

摘要

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of Zhuifeng tougu capsules(追风透骨胶囊,ZFTG)in the treat-ment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)in rats and study its mechanism,focusing on the toll-like receptor 2/4-nuclear factor kappa-B(TLR2/4-NF-κB)signaling pathway.METHODS:Type Ⅱ collagen and an artificial cli-mate box were used to construct the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis with wind-cold-damp-ness arthralgia syndrome.The rats were divided randomly into a control group,wind-cold-damp-ness syndrome model group,and high-,medium-,and low-dose ZFTG groups.The methotrexate(MTX)control group was treated with the corre-sponding drug intervention for 28 d.The joint tem-perature,pain threshold,joint swelling degree,and arthritis index(Al)score were measured.The pro-duction of C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),and rheumatoid factors(RFs)in the blood was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The protein expression of TLR2,TLR4,and NF-κB in synovial tissues was de-tected by Western blotting,and the mRNA expres-sion of TLR2,TLR4,and NF-κB was detected by re-al-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:Compared with the model group,the joint temperature in each treatment group,the MTX control group,and MTX group recovered,the degree of foot swelling,pain threshold,Al score de-creased,serum CRP,ESR,RF level and the levels of TLR2,TLR4,and NF-κB in synovial tissue were de-creased(P＜0.05).Among them,the curative effect in the medium-dose and MTX groups was more evi-dent(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:ZFTG has a significant effect on RA in rats,and its mechanism may involve regulating CRP levels,the ESR,and RFs via the TLR2/4-NF-κB signaling pathway.