Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2019, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (02): 191-198.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2019.02.006

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Effects of Huatan Tongluo decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression in synovial tissues of rats with collagen-induced arthritis

Chen Jinchun, Qiu Mingshan, Li Yihan, Zhang Qian, Zhang Yiyan, Lin Shuangjie, Zhang Shaohong, Qian Lixia, Gao Hai, Li Liang-cheng   

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine;School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University;Health and Human Service Department, Xianyue Hospital;
  • Online:2019-04-15 Published:2019-04-15
  • Supported by:
    Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China Funded project:Study on the Relation between Rheumatic Arthralgia Induced by Phlem and Blood Stasis and Joints Angiogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis(No.81473574), Internal Project of Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Funded Project:Investigating the Therapeutic Effect and Mechanism of Resolving Phlegm and Turbidity Decoction(No.2015003), Nature Science Foundation of Fujian Province Funded Project:Studies on siRNA Drugs by Down-Regulation of both c-FLIPL and MADD for Targeted Ovarian Cancer Therapy(No.2015J01347)

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of Huatan Tongluo decoction on rats with collagen-induced arthritis.METHODS: Forty specific pathogen-free Wistar rats were selected, and 10 were randomly selected as the control(group 1). The remaining rats were injected intradermally with emulsified type Ⅱ bovine collagen at the tail base and back, followed by a booster 7 d post first immunization. After establishing collagen-induced arthritis(CIA), rats were randomly divided into three groups(n = 10). The rats were treated orally for 30 d as follows: group 1, saline; group 2, model(saline); group 3, tripterygium polyglycoside(TP; 7.81 mg/kg, positive control);group 4, Huatan Tongluo decoction(HTTL; 7.5 g/kg). Body weight, ankle swelling and arthritis index were measured over the course of the study. The rats were sacrificed 30 d after treatment. Morphological changes in the synovium were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Pannus formation and synovial thickness in the left ankle were observed by color Doppler ultrasoundVascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and VEGFR2 protein levels were measured by immunohistochemistry.VEGF/VEGFR2 mRNA levels were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS: Compared with the model group, a significantly lower arthritis index was observed in the positive control group(P < 0.05) and HTTL group(P < 0.01), after treatment. Both positive control and HTTL reduced intra-articular pannus formation and synovial thickening. Furthermore, VEGF mRNA,and VEGFR2 protein and mRNA levels were significantly downregulated(P < 0.05) in the treatment groups.CONCLUSION: Inhibition of the expression of VEGF and VEGFR2 in synovial tissues and the formation of pannus and synovial hyperplasia may be part of the mechanism of HTTL for relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in CIA rats.

Key words: Arthritis,experimental, Tripterygium, Vascular endothelial growth factor A, Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, Huatan Tongluo decoction

Cite this article

Chen Jinchun, Qiu Mingshan, Li Yihan, Zhang Qian, Zhang Yiyan, Lin Shuangjie, Zhang Shaohong, Qian Lixia, Gao Hai, Li Liang-cheng. Effects of Huatan Tongluo decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression in synovial tissues of rats with collagen-induced arthritis[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2019, 39(02): 191-198.