[Impact of the method of cooling blood to remove stasis on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rats with experimental autoimmune thyroiditis].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of Liangxue Huayu therapy (LXHYT), a traditional Chinese herbal therapy for cooling blood and dissipating blood stasis, on rat model of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) and its impact on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.


METHODS
Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group, untreated EAT group, cyclosporine A (CyA)-treated group, Tripterygium glycosides-treated group and Liangxue Huayu Recipe (LXHYR)-treated group. The interventions were given by gavage to the rats in different groups once a day. All rats were sacrificed after 4-week treatment, and the level of serum thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) and the changes of histological grade of thyroid specimen were assessed by blind evaluation. Expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase in the serum TgAb level and severe inflammatory infiltration in the untreated group. Expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was increased, while the expression of IL-10 mRNA was decreased in the untreated group (P<0.01). Compared with the untreated group, CyA, Tripterygium glycosides and LXHYF could decrease the serum TgAb level (P<0.05), but the three interventions showed no significant improvement in thyroid inflammation (P>0.05). TNF-alpha mRNA expression was decreased, while IL-10 mRNA expression was increased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
LXHYT can decrease the serum TgAb level and recover the balance of Th1/Th2. This may provide an experimental basis for further research of assessing the antipsoriatic effect of Chinese herbal drugs with a rat model of EAT as an alternative model of psoriasis in vivo.
Zhang
Hong
H
Department of Dermatology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xu
Xiao-Guang
XG
Gu
Jun
J
D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10