The expression change of β-arrestins in fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rats with collagen-induced arthritis and the effect of total glucosides of paeony.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of β-arrestins in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and the effect of total glucosides of paeony (TGP).


METHODS
TGP and glucosides of tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) were intragastriclly administrated to collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats after immunization. The secondary inflammatory reaction was evaluated by hind paw swelling, polyarthritis index and histopathological changes. Antibodies to type II collagen (CII) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Synoviocyte proliferations were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl (MTT) assay. The expression of β-arrestins in synoviocytes from CIA rats was measured by western blot.


RESULTS
The administration of TGP (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) depressed hind paw swelling and decreased the arthritis scores of CIA rats. TGP improved the pathologic manifestations of CIA. Serum anti-CII antibodies level increased significantly in CIA rats, while TGP had no effect on it. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) proliferation was inhibited by TGP (50, 100 mg/kg). On d14, d28 after immunization, β-arrestins expression greatly up-regulated in synoviocytes from CIA rats and then returned to baseline levels on d42 after immunization. TGP (50, 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the expression of β-arrestins.


CONCLUSIONS
An inflammatory process in vivo induces an up-regulation of β-arrestins in synoviocytes from CIA rats while TGP can inhibit this change, which might be one of the important mechanisms for TGP to produce a marked therapeutic effect on RA.
Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology of Education Ministry, Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Qing-Tong
QT
Wang
Ling-Ling
LL
Zhang
Hua-Xun
HX
Wu
Wei
W
Wei
D000818:Animals; D019390:Arrestins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002680:Chin; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000276:immunology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005960:Glucosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D029596:Paeonia / Q000737:chemistry; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D000071557:beta-Arrestins
D019390:Arrestins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D024043:Collagen Type II; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides; D000071557:beta-Arrestins