基于表观遗传调控的中药防治类风湿关节炎作用机制研究进展

表观遗传修饰(epigenetic modifications)代表了调节基因表达的重要机制,使人体能够适应不断变化的环境。应用表观遗传学修饰研究方法是自身免疫疾病机制研究的前沿领域,类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis, RA)是自身免疫性疾病研究领域的难点之一,其病因不明,发病机制复杂,至今仍然缺乏理想的治疗药物与方法。中医药治疗RA具有独特优势,新近研究发现中药单体成分和复方通过作用于表观遗传修饰而治疗RA。该文拟对表观遗传学在RA发生、发展中的机制,以及中药通过调控表观遗传防治RA的作用进行综述,以期为中药治疗RA临床疗效及其作用机制研究提供新的思路。

Research progress on epigenetic regulation-based mechanistic studies of Chinese herbal medicines in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Epigenetic modifications represent an important mechanism underlying regulation of gene expression that enables human body to adapt to the changing environment.Research methods of epigenetic modifications are a frontier area for the study of molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) has been one of the difficulties in both clinical and basic-research fields of autoimmune diseases.The etiology of RA remains elusive,and its pathogenesis involves complex immune and inflammatory pathways.Clinically ideal therapeutic approaches are still lacking for treatment of RA.Recent studies have shown that Chinese herbal medicine and bioactive components there of potentially target epigenetic modifications in the treatment of RA.In order to provide new research ideas for therapeutic interventions and mechanistic studies of RA,we here reviewed and summarized literature on the epigenetic mechanism underlying the generation and development of RA and therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicine in RA that involve targeting epigenetic modifications.