Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effect of Miao medicine, Jinwujiangu decoction, on IL-17/IL-23 inflammatory axis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

Xueming Yao, Rong Li, Qiaoyi Ning, Ying Huang, Fang Tang, Hui Xu, Daoming Lu, Jiang Liang, Yang An, Wukai Ma

Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fei Shan Street, Guiyang 550003, China;

For correspondence:- Wukai Ma Email: mawukaituo@163.com

Accepted: 29 December 2018 Published: 31 January 2019

Citation: Yao X, Li R, Ning Q, Huang Y, Tang F, Xu H, et al. Effect of Miao medicine, Jinwujiangu decoction, on IL-17/IL-23 inflammatory axis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis. Trop J Pharm Res 2019; 18(1):173-179 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v18i1.26

© 2019 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the influence of the Miao medicine, Jinwujiangu decoction, on the interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 inflammatory axis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Synovial tissue samples were randomly divided into a blank control group, high-dose (0.06mg/mL), medium-dose (0.6mg/mL), and low-dose (6.0mg/mL) groups of Jinwujiangu decoction, a leflunomide group, and a tripterygium glycosides group. Proliferation of RA synovial cells was detected by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the secretion of IL-6, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and IL-17. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the expression of IL-23R, IL-17R, RAR-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα), RORγt, and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) mRNA. The protein activities of IL-17R, STAT3 and pSTAT3 were assessed by Western blot assay.

Results: Jinwujiangu decoction inhibited the proliferation of RA synovial cells. Treatment with different drug concentrations resulted in downregulation of IL-6, TGF-β, and IL-17 secretion. The expression levels of IL-23R, IL-17R, RORα, RORγt, and STAT3 mRNA in RA-FLS were significantly reduced after intervention with different drugs. Protein expression levels of STAT3, pSTAT3, and IL-17 in the different drug treatment groups were significantly decreased.

Conclusion: Jinwujiangu decoction inhibits the secretion of IL-6 and TGF-β in RA-FLS, and intervenes to regulate gene expression of IL-23/IL-17 inflammation axis and suppress immune inflammation. The results of this study provide new evidence for the study of anti-inflammatory mechanism of TCM compound prescription.

Keywords: Jinwujiangu decoction, IL-17/IL-23, Fibroblast-like synoviocytes, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ethnomedicine