Wang-Bi Capsule Alleviates the Joint Inflammation and Bone Destruction in Mice with Collagen-Induced Arthritis.

Hua Cui,Cheng Lu,Haiyang Shu,Xinyu Wang,Dancai Fan,Xiaojuan He,Aiping Lu,Ning Zhao

doi:10.1155/2020/1015083

Abstract

Wang-Bi Capsule (WB), a traditional Chinese medicine- (TCM-) based herbal formula, is currently used in clinic for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with positive clinical effects. However, its pharmacological mechanism of action in RA is still obscure. Therefore, this study established a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice model to examine the efficacy of WB by using arthritis score, histological analysis, and micro-CT examination. Proinflammatory cytokines expression, osteoclast number, OPG/RANKL system, and NF-κB activation were then detected to further investigate the mechanism of WB in RA treatment. The results indicated that WB could alleviate the erythema and swelling of paws in CIA mice. It also inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells and bone destruction and increased bone density in joints of CIA mice. Mechanistic studies showed that WB treatment decreased the production of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum and joints of CIA mice. Moreover, it reduced the osteoclast number, increased OPG level, decreased RANKL level, and inhibited the activation of NF-κB in joints of CIA mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that WB could effectively alleviate disease progression of CIA mice by decreasing the IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, modulating the OPG/RANKL system, and inhibiting the activation of NF-κB.

Highlights

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex, chronic inflammatory disease with approximately 0.24% global prevalence [1]. e pathophysiology of RA is characterized by a variety of immune cells with aberrant inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17, infiltrating in the synovium of multiple joints, and those inflammatory mediators lead to long-term inflammation and the formation of pannus, which result in irreversible joint and cartilage destruction and sever disability [2, 3]
We found that Wang-Bi Capsule (WB) could effectively suppress the disease progression in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice
Histological analysis showed that WB treatment alleviated inflammatory cells infiltration, as well as cartilage and bone destruction in CIA mice

Summary

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex, chronic inflammatory disease with approximately 0.24% global prevalence [1]. e pathophysiology of RA is characterized by a variety of immune cells with aberrant inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17, infiltrating in the synovium of multiple joints, and those inflammatory mediators lead to long-term inflammation and the formation of pannus, which result in irreversible joint and cartilage destruction and sever disability [2, 3]. Wang-Bi Capsule (WB), a TCM-based herbal formula, has been used to treat RA in China for several years and shown positive clinical effects. It is composed of seventeen herbal medicines: Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaetn.) Libosch. Zhang and Dai reported that total paeoniflorin, the major active component of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, could inhibit the proliferation of lymphocytes and fibroblast-like synovium cells, and the production of matrix metalloproteinases [4]. Chi et al indicated that icariin, isolated from the Epimedium family, decreased 17 cells and the production of IL-17 through inhibiting STAT3 activation in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice [5]. We want to determine the effect of WB in a CIA mouse model and understand its mechanism of action

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion