Ginsenoside metabolite compound K attenuates inflammatory responses of adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of ginsenoside metabolite compound K (CK) on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) rats and the partial mechanisms focused on the function of immunocyte (B cell and macrophage) and effectors' cell (fibroblast-like synoviocyte, FLS).


METHODS
Animals were divided randomly into nine groups including control, AA, CK (5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg, i.g.), and MTX (0.5 mg/kg, i.g.). The effects of CK on AA rats are evaluated by swelling of the paw, histopathology of joint, and inflammatory cytokine production in serum. To further investigate the effects of CK on the function of B cell, peritoneal macrophage, and FLS from AA rats, we examined the proliferation of B cell and FLS by [3H] thymidine incorporation, and the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophage was measured by neutral red uptake. Cytokines and antibodies in serum and the supernatant from peritoneal macrophage and FLS were measured by ELISA kit.


RESULTS
CK suppressed the severity of AA rats by attenuating the paw swelling and histopathology of joint. CK can inhibit the proliferation of B cell and autoantibody levels, and suppressed the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophage and secreted pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-17 and up-regulated the level of protective cytokines IL-10. CK attenuated the proliferation of FLS, and balanced the ratio of RANKL to OPG in AA rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that CK may attenuate the severity of AA rats, partially by influencing the function of immunocyte (B cell and macrophage) and effectors' cells (FLS) in AA.
Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education , Hefei , China.
Huaxun
H
Wu
Jingyu
J
Chen
Qingtong
Q
Wang
Xiaoyi
X
Jia
Shasha
S
Song
Pingfan
P
Yuan
Kangkang
K
Liu
Lihua
L
Liu
Yunfang
Y
Zhang
Aiwu
A
Zhou
Wei
W
Wei
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000276:immunology; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
D036145:Ginsenosides; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; C506032:Tnfrsf11b protein, rat; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma