【Animal modeling】-Effect of ligustrazine on extracellular regulated protein kinase pathway in collagen-induced arthritis rats

  Objective To investigate the effect of ligustrazine on extracellular regulated protein kinase pathway in collagen-induced arthritis rats.

  Methods Thirty SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and ligustrazine group, 10 rats in each group. Collagen-induced arthritis modeling was performed on the rats in the model group and ligustrazine group. After successful modeling, the ligustrazine group was given ligustrazine (0.1 g/kg) every day for 28 days by continuous intragastric administration; the model group and the normal group were given the same volume of normal saline. The volume changes of the hind paws of the three groups of rats were measured every week, HE staining was used to observe the infiltration of inflammatory cells in each group, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and ELISA were used to detect tumor necrosis factor-α in synovial tissue and serum of the rats. (tumor necrosis factor α, TNF-α), angiopoietin 1 (angiopoietin 1, Ang-1), interleukin 1β (interleukin 1β, IL-1β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) levels , and the expression levels of ERK pathway-related proteins in rat synovial tissue were detected by western blotting.

  Results From the second week after modeling, the hind paw volume of the model group was significantly larger than that of the control group (P<0.05), and the hindpaw volume of the ligustrazine group was significantly lower than that of the model group at the same time point (P<0.05). The expression levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α, Ang-1, IL-1β and their mRNAs in the serum and synovial tissue of the rats in the model group and the ligustrazine group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the level of VEGF in the synovial tissue of the mice decreased (P-0.05); the protein expression level of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in the model group and the ligustrazine group increased (P<0.05), but The expression level of p-ERK1/2 protein in the ligustrazine group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0.05).

  Conclusion Ligustrazine may effectively inhibit the ERK pathway, regulate the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum and synovial tissue of rats with collagen-induced arthritis, and relieve the symptoms of joint swelling.