Abstract.
Objective:
To determine the effects of triptolide (TP) on the expression of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and its receptor in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASF).
Materials and Methods:
RASF were obtained from the synovial tissue of patients with RA. RASF were pretreated with TP (0~100 ng/ml) for 2 h before stimulation with PMA (50 ng/ml). The bioactivity of IL-18 in the supernatant was detected based on IFN-γ secretion from IL-18-responding human myelomonocytic KG-1 cells. IL-18 level was analyzed by ELISA. In situ expression of IL-18Rα was determined by immunofluorescence assay. To estimate the protein and mRNA expression of IL-18 and IL-18Rα in RASF, western blot and quantitative RT-PCR were performed. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity in the whole-cell extract of treated RASF was also measured using an ELISA-based method.
Results:
TP effectively inhibited the bioactivity of IL-18 in PMA-stimulated RASF. The expression of IL-18 and IL-18R at protein and gene levels was reduced by TP. NF-κB activity in PMA-stimulated RASF was profoundly suppressed by TP. These effects showed a high correlation with TP concentration (0~100 ng/ml).
Conclusion:
TP effectively inhibited the expression of IL-18 and its receptor in PMA-stimulated RASF. These results suggest a mechanism of TP in RA therapy.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Y. Lu, W.-J. Wang: They contributed to this work equally
Received 12 July 2007; returned for revision 13 September 2007; received from final revision 8 January 2008; accepted by J. Di Battista 8 January 2008
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lu, Y., Wang, WJ., Leng, JH. et al. Inhibitory effect of triptolide on interleukin-18 and its receptor in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts. Inflamm. res. 57, 260–265 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-007-7128-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-007-7128-9