La interleucina 6 en la fisiopatología de la artrirtis reumatoide

Anti-arthritic and toxicological evaluation of ethanolic extract of Alternanthera bettzickiana in rats

In many developing countries, medicinal plants have long been used for therapeutic purposes due to their low cost and toxicity. This study evaluated the safety and anti-arthritic potential of Alternanthera bettzickiana ethanolic extract (ABEE). Acute oral toxicity (OECD 425) was tested in the safety evaluation. A limit test was used to identify the LD50 value. For an acute oral toxicity study a dose of 2000 mg/kg of ABEE was given orally to the treatment group, and the control group received distilled water at a rate of 10 ml/kg. Biochemical, hematological, and histopathological analyses were performed after 14 days. A formaldehyde 2% w/v solution was injected via i.p. to rats of all groups to prepare the arthritic model. Five groups were divided into control (D.H2O), standard (Diclofenac), and three groups receiving the plant extract at dose levels of 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg respectively. Treatment was continued for 10 days. Paw diameter and hematological and biochemical variables were quantified. ELISA was performed for the estimation of inflammatory cytokines. In the acute oral toxicity study, no mortality or morbidity were observed, so the LD50 of this plant was greater than 2000 mg/kg. ABEE decreased the paw diameter with the restoration of hematological and biochemical changes. SOD and CAT levels were increased while decreasing the MDA, NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in arthritic rats. It is concluded that the use of A. bettzickiana has low toxicity, and it can be used for the treatment of arthritis.

Pharmacological effects of a complex α-bisabolol/β-cyclodextrin in a mice arthritis model with involvement of IL-1β, IL-6 and MAPK

Inflammatory arthritis is the most prevalent chronic inflammatory disease worldwide. The pathology of the disease is characterized by increased inflammation and oxidative stress, which leads to chronic pain and functional loss in the joints. Conventional anti-arthritic drugs used to relieve pain and other arthritic symptoms often cause severe side effects. α-bisabolol (BIS) is a sesquiterpene that exhibits high anti-inflammatory potential and a significant antinociceptive effect. This study evaluates the anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory and antihyperalgesic effects of BIS alone and in a β-cyclodextrin (βCD/BIS) inclusion complex in a CFA-induced arthritis model. Following the intra-articular administration of CFA, male mice were treated with vehicle, BIS and βCD/BIS (50 mg/kg, p.o.) or a positive control and pain-related behaviors, knee edema and inflammatory and oxidative parameters were evaluated on days 4, 11, 18 and/or 25. Ours findings shows that the oral administration of BIS and βCD/BIS significantly attenuated spontaneous pain-like behaviors, mechanical hyperalgesia, grip strength deficit and knee edema induced by repeated injections of CFA, reducing the joint pain and functional disability associated with arthritis. BIS and βCD/BIS also inhibited the generation of inflammatory and oxidative markers in the knee and blocked MAPK in the spinal cord. In addition, ours results also showed that the incorporation of BIS in cyclodextrin as a drug delivery system improved the pharmacological profile of this substance. Therefore, these results contribute to the pharmacological knowledge of BIS and demonstrated that this terpene appears to be able to mitigate deleterious symptoms of arthritis.

Intracytoplasmic Expression of IL-6 and IL-17A in Circulating CD4+ T Cells Are Strongly Associated with and Predict Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case-Control Study in Ghana

Background

T cell cytokines play important roles in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Loss of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg balance has been reported in several inflammatory autoimmune diseases. However, their role in RA within hitherto rare Ghanaian context has not been explored. Here, we evaluated the intracytoplasmic CD4+ T cell cytokine patterns in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Ghana and determined their relationship with disease activity.

Methods

This case-control study included 48 newly diagnosed RA patients and 30 apparent healthy controls from two major hospitals in Ghana. Validated structured questionnaires were administered to obtain demographic data; blood samples were collected and processed for flow cytometric analysis.

Results

IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-6/IL-4, and IL-17/IL-10 expressions were significantly higher in RA cases compared to the healthy controls. The expression of IL-6 (0.00 (0.00-0.98) vs. 0.82 (0.34-1.10) vs. 1.56 (1.39-1.68), p < 0.0001), IL-17A (0.00 (0.00-0.02) vs. 0.19 (0.09-0.30) vs. 0.99 (0.64-1.25), p < 0.0001), and IL-17A/IL-10 (0.00 (0.00-0.39) vs. 0.15 (0.09-0.26) vs. 0.88 (0.41-1.47), p < 0.0001) increased significantly from the healthy controls through RA patients with low DAS scores to RA patients with moderate DAS scores. IL-6 (β = 0.681, r² = 0.527, p < 0.0001), IL-17A (β = 0.770, r² = 0.593, p < 0.0001), and IL-17A/IL-10 (β = 0.677, r² = 0.452, p < 0.0001) expressions were significantly directly associated with DAS28 scores. IL-6 (cutoff = 1.32, sensitivity = 100.0%, specificity = 100.0%, accuracy = 100.0%, and AUC = 1.000) and IL-17A (cutoff = 0.58, sensitivity = 100.0%, specificity = 100.0%, accuracy = 100.0%, and AUC = 1.000) presented with the best discriminatory power in predicting moderate DAS scores from low DAS scores.

Conclusion

Th1- and Th17-related cytokines predominate in the pathophysiology of RA, with IL-6 and IL-17 being principally and differentially expressed based on the severity of the disease. IL-6 and IL-17A could serve as useful prognostic and disease-monitoring markers in RA in the African context.

Humulus japonicus extract ameliorates collagen‑induced arthritis in mice through regulation of overall articular inflammation

Humulus japonicus (HJ) is a widely used herbal medicine in Asia with anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the potential therapeutic effects of HJ in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and a lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). The CIA mice were administered 300 mg/kg HJ orally starting 3 days prior to second immunization. The clinical and histopathological findings were assessed in the paw of CIA mice. The levels of autoantibodies and inflammatory markers were determined in the plasma and cell culture supernatant, respectively. The expression at mRNA and protein levels was analyzed by reverse transcription quantitative-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. HJ significantly decreased the gross arthritic scores and paw swelling in CIA mice. Furthermore, synovial inflammation, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion were markedly reduced by HJ. It also decreased the expression of inflammatory enzymes in both the paw of mice and RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, the expression of genes related to all macrophages and pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage were significantly decreased, whereas the expression of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage marker was markedly increased in the paw of HJ-treated CIA mice. In addition, HJ suppressed the levels of plasma anti-type II collagen antibody following the decreased expression of T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cell-associated surface markers and cytokines in the paw. HJ also significantly inhibited the expression of IL-6 both in vitro and in vivo, followed by reduced STAT3 phosphorylation and expression in the paw of CIA mice. Finally, the expression of osteoclast-related genes was decreased in the paw of HJ-treated CIA mice. These findings suggest that HJ can play a role in suppressing the development of CIA by overall regulation of articular inflammation. This study should provide new insights into the use of HJ as a therapeutically effective natural product against RA.

Synergistic benefits of Nicotine and Thymol in alleviating experimental rheumatoid arthritis

PURPOSE

Given to the anti-inflammatory effect of Nicotine and Thymol, this study was done to evaluate the effects of co-administration of Nicotine and Thymol on the clinical aspects, and immunity responses in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced RA in Wistar rat.

METHODS

The study population contained a total of 50 male Wistar rats with a weight range 150 ± 7 g, which RA was induced through FCA at them. These animals were randomly allocated into five groups (n = 10): RA rats treated with PBS (100 mg/kg orally), RA rats treated with Thymol (100 mg/kg orally), RA rats treated with Nicotine (2.5mg/kg-orally), and RA rats treated with combined Nicotine and Thymol (half doses with each one-orally). All treatments were initiated at day seven p.i. when all rats showed a clinical score of ≥1. Clinical symptoms of the disease were recorded every other day until the day 23 p.i.

RESULTS

Obtained data revealed the combination therapy reduced the severity of the disease and improved weight-gaining more profound than each medication alone. Furthermore, combination therapy caused a reduction in some hematological and biochemical RA parameters, such as Rheumatoid factor, C-Reactive Protein, Nitric oxide, Myeloperoxidase, IL-1, and IL-17 more impressive than each treatment alone. Interestingly, the combination therapy with half doses of Nicotine and Thymol did not have any synergistic advantage in anti-proliferation effect, and therefore immunosuppression side effect compared with using each of agents alone.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, it is possible that combination therapy can be applied as a beneficial strategy to control RA.

Investigation of the effect of phlomisoside F on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis

Phlomis younghusbandii Mukerjee (Labiatae) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of phlomisoside F (PF), isolated from P. younghusbandii Mukerjee (Labiatae), were investigated in male Wistar rats subjected to carrageen-induced paw edema and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis. Arthritis scores were evaluated by a 5-point ordinal scale (scores 0-4). Expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, COX-2 and 5-LOX were determined via ELISA and western blot assays. Subsequent to establishing the edema and arthritis models, oral administration of PF (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly inhibited mean edema rate, compared with the control group in carrageenan-induced paw edema assay. In addition, administration of PF (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day) for 28 days markedly exhibited an anti-arthritic activity by offsetting the body weight loss, inhibiting the paw edema, reducing the arthritis scores and the indices of thymus and spleen, inhibiting the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2 and 5-LOX, and increasing the expression of IL-10, when compared with the respective control group in CFA-induced arthritis assay. In conclusion, PF is a valuable anti-arthritic constituent of P. younghusbandii, and the present study results suggest that this herb may be used in the treatment of RA.

5,7,3′-Triacetyl Hesperetin Suppresses Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis in Rats through Modulating JAK2/STAT3 Pathway

This work was designed to identify the effect of 5,7,3′-triacetyl hesperetin (TAHP) on rat adjuvant arthritis (AA) and further clarify the possible role of TAHP on modulating Janus kinase signal transducers and activators (JAK/STAT in this process. Freund's complete adjuvant was used to induce AA in rats. TAHP (33, 66, 132 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically. Secondary paw swelling, polyarthritis index, index of immune organs and histopathological assessment were used to evaluate the effects of TAHP on AA in rats. IL-6 in serum and in synovial tissues was examined with ELISA and RT-PCR. In addition, JAK2/STAT3 pathway-related key molecules mRNA expression in synovial tissues of AA rats were detected by RT-PCR and western blot respectively. It was found that TAHP (66, 132 mg/kg) could significantly inhibit secondary paw swelling, restore the index of immune organs and reduce polyarthritis index. Results of histopathological assessment showed that TAHP clearly ameliorated the pathological changes in AA rats. TAHP could downregulate the level of IL-6 in serum and in synovial tissues of AA rats. Besides, treatment with TAHP could decrease mRNA expressions of STAT3 and JAK2, as well as the ratio of p-JAK2/JAK2 protein and p-STAT3/STAT3 protein from synovial tissues. Thus, the paper demonstrated that TAHP had a therapeutic effect on AA in rats and the mechanisms were partly associated with modulating proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 production in serum and in synovial tissues and inhibiting excessive activation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway which might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AA.