title: Ascidian tunicate extracts attenuate rheumatoid arthritis in a collagen-induced murine model.
abstract: Murine rheumatoid arthritis models are often used to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of candidate drugs. The present study has been conducted in order to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of ascidian tunicate extracts in a collagen-induced arthritis DBA1/J mice model. Four types of formulas, ascidian tunicate extracts (ATE), crude ascidian tunicate glycans (ATEC), ascidian tunicate extracts with licorice extracts (ATEL), and crude ascidian tunicate glycans with licorice extracts (ATECL) were orally administered into DBA/1J mice for 3 weeks and paw edema and thickness were evaluated. Changes in inflammatory proteins and cytokines levels were monitored in hind leg tissues by Western blot and quantitative PCR analysis. The oral administration of ascidian tunicate extracts alleviated paw edema and improved the histological hind leg cartilage status. The extracts also reduced the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein and prostaglandin E synthase (PGES) levels. In addition, the extracts-treated groups showed increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels compared with the non-treated group. These findings suggest that orally administered ascidian tunicate extracts might have potential therapeutic effects for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.forename: Seong-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jung-Taek
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kwone
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Somin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ah Young
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won-Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Munkhjargal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bat-Erdene
authors.forename: Byeong-Dae
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myung-Haing
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003094:Collagen / Q000633:toxicity*; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077339:Leflunomide; D051379:Mice; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D003094:Collagen; D000077339:Leflunomide