title: Prevention of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by Cervus korean TEMMINCK var. mantchuricus Swinhoe.
abstract: The effect of water extract of deer antler (DAA) prepared from the pilose antler of Cervus korean TEMMINCK var. mantchuricus Swinhoe (Nokyong) on collagen-induced mouse rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model was studied. Identification of common DAA capable of affording protection or modulating the onset and severity of arthritis may have important human health implications. DAA has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties in experimental animals. In this study, we determined the effect of DAA-injection on collagen-induced arthritis in mice. In three independent experiments, mice given DAA in water exhibited significantly reduced incidence of arthritis (30-45%) as compared with mice not given DAA in water (86-98%). The arthritis index also was significantly lower in DAA-injected animals. Western blot analysis showed a marked reduction in the expression of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase 2, IFN-γ, and tumor necrosis factor α in arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. The neutral endopeptidase activity was approximately six-fold higher in arthritic joints of non-DAA-injected mice in comparison to non-arthritic joints of unimmunized mice, whereas it was only two-fold higher in the arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. Additionally, total IgG and type II collagen-specific IgG levels were lower in serum and arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. Taken together our studies suggest that DAA may be useful in the prevention of onset and severity of arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Chunchun-Dong 300, Jangan-Gu, Suwon City, Kyunggi-Do 440-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Suk-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Kap-Sung
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: A-Ram
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ki-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: June-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Choon
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Sunny
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Cheorl-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim