ABT-702 (4-amino-5-(3-bromophenyl)-7-(6-morpholino-pyridin- 3-yl)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine), a novel orally effective adenosine kinase inhibitor with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. II. In vivo characterization in the rat

Adenosine kinase (AK; EC 2.7.1.20) is a key intracellular enzyme regulating intra-and extracellular concentrations of adenosine (ADO), an endogenous neuromodulator, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory autocoid. AK inhibition provides a means of potentiating local tissue concentrations of endogenous ADO, and AK inhibitors may have therapeutic potential as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. The effects of ABT-702, a novel, potent (IC(50) = 1.7 nM), and selective non-nucleoside AK inhibitor were examined in rat models of nociception and acute inflammation. ABT-702 was orally effective and fully efficacious to suppress nociception in a spectrum of pain models in the rat, including carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia, the formalin test of persistent pain, and models of nerve injury-induced and diabetic neuropathic pain (tactile allodynia after L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation or streptozotocin injection, respectively.) ABT-702 was especially potent at relieving inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia (ED(50) = 5 micromol/kg p.o.). ABT-702 was also effective in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model of acute inflammation (ED(50) = 70 micromol/kg p.o.). The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of ABT-702 were blocked by selective ADO receptor antagonists, consistent with endogenous ADO accumulation and ADO receptor activation as a mechanism of action. The antinociceptive effects of ABT-702 were not blocked by the opioid antagonist naloxone. In addition, ABT-702 showed less potential to develop tolerance to its antinociceptive effects compared with morphine. ABT-702 had no significant effect on rotorod performance or heart rate (at 30-300 micromol/kg p.o.), mean arterial pressure (at 30-100 micromol/kg p.o.), or exploratory locomotor activity (at 相似文献   

ABT-702 (4-amino-5-(3-bromophenyl)-7-(6-morpholinopyridin-3-yl)pyrido[2, 3-d]pyrimidine), a novel orally effective adenosine kinase inhibitor with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties: I. In vitro characterization and acute antinociceptive effects in the mouse

Adenosine (ADO) is an inhibitory neuromodulator that can increase nociceptive thresholds in response to noxious stimulation. Inhibition of the ADO-metabolizing enzyme adenosine kinase (AK) increases extracellular ADO concentrations at sites of tissue trauma and AK inhibitors may have therapeutic potential as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. ABT-702 is a novel and potent (IC(50) = 1. 7 nM) non-nucleoside AK inhibitor that has several orders of magnitude selectivity over other sites of ADO interaction (A(1), A(2A), A(3) receptors, ADO transporter, and ADO deaminase). ABT-702 was 1300- to 7700-fold selective for AK compared with a number of other neurotransmitter and peptide receptors, ion channel proteins, neurotransmitter/nucleoside reuptake sites, and enzymes, including cycloxygenases-1 and -2. ABT-702 was equipotent (IC(50) = 1.5 +/- 0. 3 nM) in inhibiting native human AK (placenta), two human recombinant isoforms (AK(long) and AK(short)), and AK from monkey, dog, rat, and mouse brain. Kinetic studies revealed that AK inhibition by ABT-702 was competitive with respect to ADO and noncompetitive with respect to MgATP(2-). AK inhibition by ABT-702 was demonstrated to be reversible after 4 h of dialysis. ABT-702 is orally active and fully efficacious in reducing acute somatic nociception (ED(50) = 8 micromol/kg i.p.; 65 micromol/kg p.o.) in the mouse hot-plate assay. ABT-702 also dose dependently reduced nociception in the phenyl-p-quinone-induced abdominal constriction assay. The antinociceptive effects of ABT-702 in the hot-plate assay were blocked by the nonselective ADO receptor antagonist theophylline, and by the A(1)-selective antagonist cyclopentyltheophylline (10 mg/kg i.p.), but not by a peripherally selective ADO receptor antagonist 8-(p-sulfophenyl)-theophylline (50 mg/kg i.p.), by the A(2A)-selective antagonist 3, 7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (1 mg/kg i.p.) or the opioid antagonist naloxone (5 mg/kg i.p.). Thus, ABT-702 is a novel and potent non-nucleoside AK inhibitor that effectively reduces acute thermal nociception in the mouse by a nonopioid, non-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ADO A(1) receptor-mediated mechanism.     

Comparison of Anti-inflammatory Activities of Six Curcuma Rhizomes: A Possible Curcuminoid-independent Pathway Mediated by Curcuma phaeocaulis Extract

We aimed to compare the anti-inflammatory activities of six species of Curcuma drugs using adjuvant arthritis model mice. When orally administered 1 day before the injection of adjuvant, the methanol extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis significantly inhibited paw swelling and the serum haptoglobin concentration in adjuvant arthritis mice. Also when orally administered 1 day after the injection of adjuvant, the methanol extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis significantly inhibited paw swelling. Other Curcuma species (Curcuma longa, Curcuma wenyujin, Curcuma kwangsiensis, Curcuma zedoaria and Curcuma aromatica) had no significant inhibitory effects on adjuvant-induced paw swelling. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity was significantly inhibited by the methanol extract of C. phaeocaulis. Curcuminoids' (curcumin, bis-demethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin) were rich in C. longa, but less in C. phaeocaulis and C. aromatica, not in C. wenyujin, C. kwangsiensis and C. zedoaria, suggesting that curcuminoids' contents do not relate to inhibition of arthritis swelling. Therefore, C. phaeocaulis may be a useful drug among Curcuma species for acute inflammation, and the active constituents of C. phaeocaulis are not curcuminoids.     

Antiarthritic effects of relaxin, in combination with estrogen, in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis

The incidence and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reduced during pregnancy. Estradiol-17beta and relaxin (RLX), hormones of pregnancy, are implicated in decreased immune responsiveness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of estrogen and RLX, alone or in combination, on the development of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in ovariectomized (OVX) Lewis rats. Arthritis was induced on day 0 by adjuvant injection in the left hind paw. Rats were treated with estradiol valerate (E), porcine RLX, E + RLX, or vehicle. Healthy OVX control animals were used for comparison. Treatment with RLX or E alone decreased adjuvant-induced inflammation in both the injected (primary) and noninjected (secondary) hind paws. Combined treatment with E and RLX was more effective than either hormone alone in blocking secondary paw inflammation. Furthermore, E plus RLX reduced changes to spleen and thymus weights induced by adjuvant injection. Both E and RLX alone decreased circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. The combination of E and RLX resulted in a greater decline in TNFalpha than treatment with either hormone alone. There was no effect of hormones on the proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1beta. The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 increased in response to E and E plus RLX. In conclusion, combined therapy with E and RLX was more effective than either hormone alone in reducing chronic inflammation, joint changes, and high circulating TNFalpha associated with AIA in rats. Accordingly, these hormones could play a role in reducing RA-induced inflammation during pregnancy by an effect on the immune system.     

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of A-286501, a novel orally active adenosine kinase inhibitor

Adenosine (ADO) is an inhibitory neuromodulator that can increase nociceptive thresholds in response to noxious stimulation. Inhibition of the ADO-metabolizing enzyme, adenosine kinase (AK) increases extracellular ADO concentrations at sites of tissue trauma and AK inhibitors may have therapeutic potential as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. N7-((1'R,2'S,3'R,4'S)-2',3'-dihydroxy-4'-amino-cyclopentyl)-4-amino-5-bromo-pyrrolo[2,3-a]pyrimidine (A-286501) is a novel and potent (IC50=0.47 nM) carbocyclic nucleoside AK inhibitor that has no significant activity (IC50 >100 microM) at other sites of ADO interaction (A1, A2A, A3 receptors, ADO transporter, and ADO deaminase) or other (IC50 value >10 microM) neurotransmitter and peptide receptors, ion channel proteins, neurotransmitter reuptake sites and enzymes, including cyclooxygenases-1 and -2. A-286501 showed equivalent potency to inhibit AK from several mammalian species and kinetic studies revealed that A-286501 was a reversible and competitive inhibitor with respect to ADO and non-competitive with respect to MgATP2-. A-286501 was orally effective to reduce nociception in animal models of acute (thermal), inflammatory (formalin and carrageenan), and neuropathic (L5/L6 nerve ligation and streptozotocin-induced diabetic) pain. A-286501 was particularly potent (ED50=1 micromol/kg, p.o.) to reduce carrageenan-induced inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia as compared to its analgesic actions in other pain models (acute and neuropathic) and its ability to alter hemodynamic function and motor performance. A-286501 was also effective to reduce carrageenan-induced paw edema and myeloperoxidase activity, a measure of neutrophil influx (ED50=10 micromol/kg, p.o.), in the injured paw. The anti-nociceptive effects of A-286501 in the L5/L6 nerve injury model of neuropathic pain (ED50=20 micromol/kg, p.o.) were not blocked by the opioid antagonist naloxone, but were blocked by the ADO receptor antagonist, theophylline. Following repeated administration, A-286501 showed less potential to produce tolerance as compared to morphine. Thus, A-286501 is a structurally novel AK inhibitor that effectively attenuates nociception by a non-opioid, non-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ADO, receptor mediated mechanism.     

ABT-963 [2-(3,4-difluoro-phenyl)-4-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butoxy)-5-(4-methanesulfonyl-phenyl)-2H-pyridazin-3-one], a highly potent and selective disubstituted pyridazinone cyclooxgenase-2 inhibitor

Nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are efficacious for the treatment of pain associated with inflammatory disease. Clinical experience with marketed selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors (celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib) has confirmed the utility of these agents in the treatment of inflammatory pain with an improved gastrointestinal safety profile relative to NSAID comparators. These COX-2 inhibitors belong to the same structural class. Each contains a core heterocyclic ring with two appropriately substituted phenyl rings appended to adjacent atoms. Here, we report the identification of vicinally disubstituted pyridazinones as potent and selective COX-2 inhibitors. The lead compound in the series, ABT-963 [2-(3,4-difluoro-phenyl)-4-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butoxy)-5-(4-methanesulfonyl-phenyl)-2H-pyridazin-3-one], has excellent selectivity (ratio of 276, COX-2/COX-1) in human whole blood, improved aqueous solubility compared with celecoxib and rofecoxib, high oral anti-inflammatory potency in vivo, and gastric safety in the animal studies. After oral administration, ABT-963 reduced prostaglandin E2 production in the rat carrageenan air pouch model (ED50 of 0.4 mg/kg) and reduced the edema in the carrageenan induced paw edema model with an ED30 of 1.9 mg/kg. ABT-963 dose dependently reduced nociception in the carrageenan hyperalgesia model (ED50 of 3.1 mg/kg). After 14 days of dosing in the adjuvant arthritis model, ABT-963 had an ED(50) of 1.0 mg/kg in reducing the swelling of the hind paws. Magnetic resonance imaging examination of the diseased paws in the adjuvant model showed that ABT-963 significantly reduced bone loss and soft tissue destruction. ABT-963 is a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor that may have utility in the treatment of the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.     

Idoxifene, a novel selective estrogen receptor modulator, is effective in a rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis

Idoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, was evaluated in male and female rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA). AA was induced in Lewis rats with Mycobacterium butyricum in paraffin oil injected into the base of the tail, and the animals were treated with idoxifene prophylactically (days 0-21) or therapeutically (days 10-21). Efficacy was determined by measurements of paw inflammation, bone mineral content, and bone mineral density (BMD) with dual X-ray absorptiometry and by histological evaluation. Serum interleukin-6 levels were measured as a marker of the anti-inflammatory effects of the compound. Estrogen was included for comparison and was administered at 5 mg/kg, three times a week s.c. Prophylactic treatment of male AA rats with idoxifene at 10, 3, and 1 mg/kg and estrogen at 5 mg/kg significantly inhibited paw inflammation. There was improved joint integrity measured by BMD and reduced serum interleukin-6 levels in animals treated with 10 mg/kg/day idoxifene. Idoxifene and estrogen were as effective for AA in female Lewis rats as in male rats, significantly inhibiting paw inflammation and improving BMD. Histological evaluation of the tibiotarsal joints of female rats treated with 10 mg/kg showed protection of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. Therapeutic treatment with either idoxifene or estrogen (starting on day 10 of disease) of male and female Lewis rats also was effective in reducing paw inflammation in these animals, although the effect was much less than that observed with the prophylactic dosing protocol.     

Essential role for proteinase-activated receptor-2 in arthritis

Using physiological, pharmacological, and gene disruption approaches, we demonstrate that proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) plays a pivotal role in mediating chronic inflammation. Using an adjuvant monoarthritis model of chronic inflammation, joint swelling was substantially inhibited in PAR-2-deficient mice, being reduced by more than fourfold compared with wild-type mice, with virtually no histological evidence of joint damage. Mice heterozygous for PAR-2 gene disruption showed an intermediate phenotype. PAR-2 expression, normally limited to endothelial cells in small arterioles, was substantially upregulated 2 weeks after induction of inflammation, both in synovium and in other periarticular tissues. PAR-2 agonists showed potent proinflammatory effects as intra-articular injection of ASKH95, a novel synthetic PAR-2 agonist, induced prolonged joint swelling and synovial hyperemia. Given the absence of the chronic inflammatory response in the PAR-2-deficient mice, our findings demonstrate a key role for PAR-2 in mediating chronic inflammation, thereby identifying a novel and important therapeutic target for the management of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of pergolide, a dopamine receptor agonist.

Pergolide, a dopamine agonist effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenan paw edema assay in rats at p.o. doses greater than or equal to 0.3 mg/kg. Studies were done to investigate the mechanism of action and to determine the pharmacologic significance of this finding. Because pergolide elevates circulating glucocorticoids, the effect of pergolide on carrageenan-induced paw swelling was assessed in adrenalectomized rats. Pergolide retained its anti-inflammatory activity in adrenalectomized carrageenan-injected rats, thus eliminating corticosterone induction as a possible mechanism of action. Pergolide treatment also did not decrease thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2 or leukotriene B4 production, ruling out direct effects on arachnoid acid inflammatory mediators. Interactions with the autonomic nervous system were suggested, in that an alpha adrenergic agonist (clonidine) mimicked the activity of pergolide in the carrageenan assay, and an alpha adrenergic antagonist (phenoxybenzamine) blocked the anti-inflammatory activity of pergolide in this assay. Dopamine receptor antagonists (haloperidol or sulpiride) partially inhibited the effect of pergolide in the carrageenan model. However, the peripherally restricted dopamine antagonist, domperidone, was ineffective, suggesting that a central dopamine receptor was involved in the effect. Experiments in chronic inflammation models such as lipoidal-amine induced arthritis in rats and picryl chloride-induced delayed type hypersensitivity in mice also revealed an anti-inflammatory effect of pergolide. Activity in the carrageenan system and the lipoidalamine model demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects of pergolide were separable from potential immunosuppressive effects. Multiple dose studies indicated that tolerance might develop to the anti-inflammatory effect of pergolide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Bee venom injection into an acupuncture point reduces arthritis associated edema and nociceptive responses

Bee venom (BV) has traditionally been used in Oriental medicine to relieve pain and to treat inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While several investigators have evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of BV treatment, the anti-nociceptive effect of BV treatment on inflammatory pain has not been examined. Previous studies in experimental animals suggest that the therapeutic effect of BV on arthritis is dependent on the site of administration. Because of this potential site specificity, the present study was designed to evaluate the anti-nociceptive effect of BV injections into a specific acupoint (Zusanli) compared to a non-acupoint in an animal model of chronic arthritis. Subcutaneous BV treatment (1 mg/kg per day) was found to dramatically inhibit paw edema caused by Freund's adjuvant injection. Furthermore, BV therapy significantly reduced arthritis-induced nociceptive behaviors (i.e. the nociceptive scores for mechanical hyperalgesia and thermal hyperalgesia). These anti-nociceptive/anti-inflammatory effects of BV were observed from 12 days through 21 days post-BV treatment. In addition, BV treatment significantly suppressed adjuvant-induced Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord at 3 weeks post-adjuvant injection. Finally, injection of BV into the Zusanli acupoint resulted in a significantly greater analgesic effect on arthritic pain as compared to BV injection in to a more distant non-acupoint. The present study demonstrates that BV injection into the Zusanli acupoint has both anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects on Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. These findings raise the possibility that BV acupuncture may be a promising alternative medicine therapy for the long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.     

Oleuropein aglycone, an olive oil compound, ameliorates development of arthritis caused by injection of collagen type II in mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oleuropein aglycone, an olive oil compound, on the modulation of the inflammatory response in mice subjected to collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CIA was induced in mice by an intradermal injection of 100 μl of an emulsion containing 100 μg of bovine type II collagen (CII) and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) at the base of the tail. On day 21, a second injection of CII in CFA was administered. Mice developed erosive hind paw arthritis when immunized with CII in CFA. Macroscopic clinical evidence of CIA first appeared as periarticular erythema and edema in the hind paws. The incidence of CIA was 100% by day 28 in the CII-challenged mice and the severity of CIA progressed over a 35-day period with resorption of bone. The histopathology of CIA included erosion of the cartilage at the joint. Treatment with oleuropein aglycone starting at the onset of arthritis (day 25) ameliorated the clinical signs at days 26 to 35 and improved histological status in the joint and paw. The degree of oxidative and nitrosative damage was also significantly reduced in oleuropein aglycone-treated mice. Plasma levels of the proinflammatory cytokines were also significantly reduced by oleuropein aglycone. In addition, we have confirmed the beneficial effects of oleuropein aglycone on an experimental model of CIA in a therapeutic regimen of post-treatment, with treatment started at day 28, demonstrating that oleuropein aglycone exerts an anti-inflammatory effect during chronic inflammation and ameliorates the tissue damage associated with CIA.     

Intra-articular IL-4 gene therapy in arthritis: anti-inflammatory effect and enhanced th2activity

Gene therapy has been explored as a potential method for treating chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. To determine the efficacy of intra-articular IL-4 gene therapy in an animal model of arthritis using a retroviral vector, a retrovirus encoding rat IL-4 (DA-IL-4) was engineered, purified and concentrated to high titer (>/=109 CFU/ml). Infectivity and expression levels were demonstrated in vitro using cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Efficacy was evaluated in the rat adjuvant arthritis model. DA-IL-4 or DA-beta-gal retrovirus was injected into the intra-articular joint space of the right ankle on day 12 after immunization. Three days after joint injection, the injected paw contained increased levels of IL-4 compared with control or with the contralateral uninjected paw, demonstrating successful transgene expression. Surprisingly, 8 days after treatment IL-4 levels continued to increase in the injected and contralateral paw compared with DA-beta-gal-treated animals. Serum IL-4 levels were also elevated in DA-IL-4-treated rats. RT-PCR studies demonstrated that the transgene was expressed in the injected ankle but not in the contralateral joint. IL-4 gene therapy resulted in a significant reduction in paw swelling and decreased radiographic evidence of bone destruction. This is the first demonstration of successful intra-articular retroviral gene treatment using a therapeutic gene. In addition to its anti-inflammatory effect, this study supports the potential application of intra-articular gene therapy as a method for enhancing systemic Th2 function.     

Suppression of arthritic bone destruction by adenovirus-mediated csk gene transfer to synoviocytes and osteoclasts

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by a chronic inflammation of the synovial joints resulting from hyperplasia of synovial fibroblasts and infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells, all of which manifest signs of activation. Recent studies have revealed the essential role of osteoclasts in joint destruction in RA. Src family tyrosine kinases are implicated in various intracellular signaling pathways, including mitogenic response to growth factors in fibroblasts, activation of lymphocytes, and osteoclastic bone resorption. Therefore, inhibiting Src activity can be a good therapeutic strategy to prevent joint inflammation and destruction in RA. We constructed an adenovirus vector carrying the csk gene, which negatively regulates Src family tyrosine kinases. Csk overexpression in cultured rheumatoid synoviocytes remarkably suppressed Src kinase activity and reduced their proliferation rate and IL-6 production. Bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts was strongly inhibited by Csk overexpression. Furthermore, local injection of the virus into rat ankle joints with adjuvant arthritis not only ameliorated inflammation but suppressed bone destruction. In conclusion, adenovirus-mediated direct transfer of the csk gene is useful in repressing bone destruction and inflammatory reactions, suggesting the involvement of Src family tyrosine kinases in arthritic joint breakdown and demonstrating the feasibility of intervention in the kinases for gene therapy in RA. off     

Inhibition of cartilage and bone destruction in adjuvant arthritis in the rat by a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor

Considerable evidence has associated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with the degradation of cartilage and bone in chronic conditions such as arthritis. Direct evaluation of MMPs' role in vivo has awaited the development of MMP inhibitors with appropriate pharmacological properties. We have identified butanediamide, N4- hydroxy-2-(2-methylpropyl)-N1-[2-[[2-(morpholinyl)ethyl]-,[S- (R*,S*)] (GI168) as a potent MMP inhibitor with sufficient solubility and stability to permit evaluation in an experimental model of chronic destructive arthritis (adjuvant-induced arthritis) in rats. In this model, pronounced acute and chronic synovial inflammation, distal tibia and metatarsal marrow hyperplasia associated with osteoclasia, severe bone and cartilage destruction, and ectopic new bone growth are well developed by 3 wk after adjuvant injection. Rats were injected with Freund's adjuvant on day 0. GI168 was was administered systemically from days 8 to 21 by osmotic minipumps implanted subcutaneously. GI168 at 6, 12, and 25 mg/kg per d reduced ankle swelling in a dose-related fashion. Radiological and histological ankle joint evaluation on day 22 revealed a profound dose related inhibition of bone and cartilage destruction in treated rats relative to rats receiving vehicle alone. A significant reduction in edema, pannus formation, periosteal new bone growth and the numbers of adherent marrow osteoclasts was also noted. However, no significant decrease in polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocyte infiltration of synovium and marrow hematopoietic cellularity was seen. This unique profile of antiarthritic activity indicates that GI168 is osteo- and chondro-protective, and it supports a direct role for MMP in cartilage and bone damage and pannus formation in adjuvant- induced arthritis.     

芍药苷对胶原诱导型关节炎模型的治疗作用及机制

目的 探讨芍药苷（paeoniflorin）对胶原诱导型大鼠关节炎（CIA）滑膜增殖和治疗的影响.方法 采用完全弗氏佐剂和Ⅱ型胶原诱导大鼠CIA模型,计数方法测定多发性关节炎指数（AJ）,称重法比较大鼠的体重变化,HE染色法光镜观察关节病理形态学变化,酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测巨噬细胞分泌的白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α,免疫组化检测滑膜细胞凋亡水平.结果 芍药苷对CIA大鼠的关节炎指数和关节病理评分都有改善,芍药苷组的各炎症因子的表达较模型组降低,芍药苷治疗后滑膜细胞凋亡较对照组增加,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论 芍药苷可以增加CIA大鼠关节炎滑膜细胞凋亡,降低CIA大鼠的关节炎指数和炎症因子含量.     

Analgesic profile of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists, (+)-epibatidine and ABT-594 in models of persistent inflammatory and neuropathic pain

The anti-nociceptive and locomotor effects of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists (+)-epibatidine and ABT-594 were compared in the rat. Acute thermal nociception was measured using the tail flick test. Mechanical hyperalgesia was measured as paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) in response to a mechanical stimulus in two animal models of persistent pain; (1) 24 h following subplantar injections of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) into the left hind paw or (2) 11-15 days following a partial ligation of the left sciatic nerve. Disruption of locomotor function was assessed using an accelerating rotarod device. In all tests, (+)-epibatidine was significantly more potent than ABT-594. Both (+)-epibatidine and ABT-594 dose-dependently increased tail flick latencies but only at doses that also disrupted performance in the rotarod test. On the other hand, (+)-epibatidine and ABT-594 dose-dependently reversed inflammatory and neuropathic hyperalgesia at significantly lower doses than that needed to disrupt performance in the rotarod test. In summary, ABT-594 is less potent than (+)-epibatidine in assays of acute and persistent pain and in the rotarod assay. However, ABT-594 displayed a clearer separation between its motor and anti-hyperalgesic effects. This shows that nicotinic agonists with improved selectivity between the nicotinic receptor subtypes could provide strong analgesic effects with a much improved therapeutic window.     

Progranulin: a growth factor, a novel TNFR ligand and a drug target

Progranulin (PGRN) is abundantly expressed in epithelial cells, immune cells, neurons, and chondrocytes, and reportedly contributes to tumorigenesis. PGRN is a crucial mediator of wound healing and tissue repair. PGRN also functions as a neurotrophic factor and mutations in the PGRN gene resulting in partial loss of the PGRN protein cause frontotemporal dementia. PGRN has been found to be a novel chondrogenic growth factor and to play an important role in cartilage development and inflammatory arthritis. Although research has shown that PGRN exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, the details about the exact molecular pathway of such effects, and, in particular, the PGRN binding receptor, have not been identified so far. Recently, researchers have shown that PGRN binds to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors (TNFR), interfering with the interaction between TNFα and TNFR. They further demonstrated that mice deficient in PGRN are susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis, an experimental model of rheumatoid arthritis, and that administration of PGRN reversed the arthritic process. An engineered protein made of three PGRN fragments (Atsttrin), displayed selective TNFR binding and was more active than natural PGRN. Both PGRN and Atsttrin prevented inflammation in various arthritis mouse models and inhibited TNFα-induced intracellular signaling pathways. Thus, PGRN is a key regulator of inflammation and it may mediate its anti-inflammatory effects, at least in part, by blocking TNF binding to its receptors. As we discuss here, TNFR-based interventions may both stimulate and suppress the growth of cancer cells, and the same may be true in analogy for Atsttrin as a new player.     

Angiogenesis inhibition suppresses collagen arthritis

Neovascularization is observed in a spectrum of diseases such as solid tumors, diabetic retinopathy, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also evident in rat collage-induced arthritis (CIA), an animal model with histologic, clinical, and radiographic manifestations resembling rheumatoid arthritis. To evaluate the effects of angioinhibition in CIA, Louvain rats were immunized with type II collagen to induce arthritis and then administered an angiogenesis inhibitor, AGM-1470, in an attempt to either prevent arthritis or suppress established disease. Using clinical and radiographic criteria, AGM-1470 prevented CIA and significantly suppressed established disease without evidence of immunosuppression. Histologic sections from control ankle joints manifested pannus and neovascularization, which were absent in experimental animals. This is the first study to investigate this novel agent in an autoimmune disease, and additional evaluation of this promising compound in other diseases that are potentially angiogenesis dependent, such as rheumatoid arthritis, might be warranted.     

RN486, a selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, abrogates immune hypersensitivity responses and arthritis in rodents

Genetic mutation and pharmacological inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) both have been shown to prevent the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice, providing a rationale for the development of Btk inhibitors for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, we characterized a novel Btk inhibitor, 6-cyclopropyl-8-fluoro-2-(2-hydroxymethyl-3-{1-methyl-5-[5-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-pyridin-2-ylamino]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-pyridin-3-yl}-phenyl)-2H-isoquinolin-1-one (RN486), in vitro and in rodent models of immune hypersensitivity and arthritis. We demonstrated that RN486 not only potently and selectively inhibited the Btk enzyme, but also displayed functional activities in human cell-based assays in multiple cell types, blocking Fcε receptor cross-linking-induced degranulation in mast cells (IC(50) = 2.9 nM), Fcγ receptor engagement-mediated tumor necrosis factor α production in monocytes (IC(50) = 7.0 nM), and B cell antigen receptor-induced expression of an activation marker, CD69, in B cells in whole blood (IC(50) = 21.0 nM). RN486 displayed similar functional activities in rodent models, effectively preventing type I and type III hypersensitivity responses. More importantly, RN486 produced robust anti-inflammatory and bone-protective effects in mouse CIA and rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) models. In the AIA model, RN486 inhibited both joint and systemic inflammation either alone or in combination with methotrexate, reducing both paw swelling and inflammatory markers in the blood. Together, our findings not only demonstrate that Btk plays an essential and conserved role in regulating immunoreceptor-mediated immune responses in both humans and rodents, but also provide evidence and mechanistic insights to support the development of selective Btk inhibitors as small-molecule disease-modifying drugs for RA and potentially other autoimmune diseases.     

SUPPRESSION OF ADJUVANT DISEASE IN THE RAT BY HETEROLOGOUS ANTILYMPHOCYTE GLOBULIN

The effect of antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) on adjuvant arthritis, an immunologically induced disease in the rat, was studied. ALG was prepared from the serum of rabbits immunized against rat lymphocytes. Adjuvant arthritis was induced in rats by a single intracutaneous injection of Freund's complete adjuvant; after 9 to 12 days, all control rats developed polyarthritis. Administration of antilymphocyte globulin about the time of adjuvant injection produced marked inhibition of clinical disease. Some suppression was apparent even when ALG was started after the onset of arthritis. Rats receiving ALG remained conspicuously healthy compared to controls. Urinary findings and renal histology showed no evidence of nephritis. The results of serum corticosterone determinations made it unlikely that adrenal stimulation contributed to the actions of ALG. Antilymphocyte preparations lowered peripheral lymphocyte counts and suppressed primary antibody responses to sheep erythrocytes, but had little effect on the skin reaction to PPD, even in rats protected from arthritis. All rats given ALG developed antibodies to rabbit globulin; there was no evidence that ALG inhibited the appearance of antibodies to itself, and prior hyperimmunization of rats with rabbit globulin did not interfere with the biological activity of ALG subsequently injected. Antisera produced separately against lymph node and thymus cells had identical properties with regard to agglutination of lymphocytes and thymus cells. Administered to rats, these preparations were equally potent in lowering lymphocyte counts and suppressing both adjuvant arthritis and the primary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes. It is concluded that ALG, as used in these experiments, is a potent immunosuppressive agent without obvious toxic effects.