1
|
Cheng WJ, Yang HT, Chiang CC, Lai KH, Chen YL, Shih HL, Kuo JJ, Hwang TL, Lin CC. Deer Velvet Antler Extracts Exert Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Arthritic Effects on Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes and Distinct Mouse Arthritis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2022; 50:1617-1643. [PMID: 35850642 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x22500689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint deformity and disability. Deer velvet antler (DA), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat various types of arthritis for several thousands of years, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Herein, we investigated the anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory effects of DA in vitro and in vivo. The ethyl acetate layer of DA ethanol extract (DA-EE-EA) was used to treat tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[Formula: see text]-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocyte MH7A cells, collagen-induced arthritis DBA/1 mice, and SKG mice with zymosan-induced arthritis. DA-EE-EA reduced nitric oxide production, prostaglandin E2 levels, and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, and IL-8 in MH7A cells. DA-EE-EA also downregulated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase and the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B p65. Intraperitoneal injection of DA-EE-EA for 3 weeks substantially reduced clinical arthritis scores in vivo models. Pathohistological images of the hind paws showed that DA-EE-EA reduced immune cell infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, and cartilage damage. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, IL-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, and interferon-gamma, decreased in the hind paw homogenates of DA-EE-EA-treated mice. We also identified several potential components, such as hexadecanamide, oleamide, erucamide, and lysophosphatidylcholines, that might contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of DA-EE-EA. In conclusion, DA-EE-EA has the potential to treat RA by regulating inflammatory responses. However, the individual components of DA-EE-EA and the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanisms need further investigation in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Jen Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Tzu Yang
- Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chao Chiang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Puxin Fengze Chinese Medicine Clinic, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kuei-Hung Lai
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Li Chen
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety and Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Huei-Lin Shih
- Division of Chinese Internal Medicine, Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jong-Jen Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tsong-Long Hwang
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety and Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming-Chi University of Technology, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Chien Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Life Sciences, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zuo Y, Liu J, Xu H, Li Y, Tao R, Zhang Z. Pirfenidone inhibits cell fibrosis in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease by targeting the TNF-α/STAT3/KL6 pathway. J Thorac Dis 2022; 14:2089-2102. [PMID: 35813760 PMCID: PMC9264050 DOI: 10.21037/jtd-22-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background To explore the effect and mechanism of pirfenidone in inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Methods From 2018 to 2020, 50 CTD-ILD patients were enrolled in the clinical study. Based on whether pirfenidone was used during treatment, patients were enrolled into the pirfenidone group and the control group. Pulmonary function tests were compared before and after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and Krebs Von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) in venous blood before and after treatment. Rat type II (RLE-6TN) lung epithelial cells were cultivated for in vitro experiments, and they were sorted into the control group, bleomycin group, pirfenidone group, TNF-α group, Stattic group, and TNF-α/Stattic combined treatment group. For the in vitro experiments, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) tests were used to evaluate cell proliferation, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT–PCR) was performed to detect STAT3 and KL-6 mRNA expression levels, ELISA was utilized to detect TNF-α and E-cadherin expression levels, and Western blotting (WB) was performed to determine α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin, TNF-α, STAT3, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (PSTAT3) and KL-6 expression. Results In the clinical study, the pulmonary function indices including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF) and partial pressure (PaO2) of the patients in the study group were superior to those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum TNF-α, STAT3 and KL-6 levels in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). In the in vitro experiments, the α-SMA, vimentin, STAT3 and KL-6 levels in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the bleomycin group (P<0.05). Compared with those in the pirfenidone group, the α-SMA, vimentin, STAT3 and KL-6 levels in the TNF-α-treated group were significantly upregulated (P<0.05). Meanwhile, cell viability was further upregulated (P<0.05), and the expression of STAT3 and KL-6 was further decreased in the Stattic-treated group (P<0.05). In the group treated with infliximab combined with Stattic, TNF-α expression was significantly increased (P<0.05), cell activity was significantly restored (P<0.05), and the STAT3, KL-6 and E-cadherin expression levels were inhibited (P<0.05). Conclusions Pirfenidone improved pulmonary function 1 and decreased TNF-α, STAT3, and KL-6 expression in CTD-ILD patients. Moreover, pirfenidone inhibits cell fibrosis through the TNF-α/STAT3/Mucin 1(MUC1) pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Zuo
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| | - Huaheng Xu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| | - Yanxia Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| | - Ran Tao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| | - Zongfang Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|