雷公藤多苷联合地塞米松对EAE中TLRs/NF-κB信号通路的作用

 目的：探讨雷公藤多苷联合地塞米松对实验性变态反应性脑脊髓炎（EAE）的治疗效果及其作用途径。方法：所有实验动物被分为空白对照组、EAE组、治疗组1(地塞米松)和治疗组2（雷公藤多苷联合地塞米松）。比较各组平均临床评分；分别采用实时定量RT-PCR和免疫组化法检测不同组别脑组织中TLR4和TLR9 mRNA和蛋白含量，免疫组化法检测NF-κB p65蛋白的表达；采用ELISA法检测外周血中TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-6含量的变化。结果：各治疗组平均临床评分较EAE组均降低（P<0.05）；治疗组2较治疗组1平均临床评分降低（P<0.05）。在发病高峰期，EAE组TLR4和TLR9 mRNA及蛋白表达较空白对照组增高，而各治疗组较EAE组降低（均P<0.05）；EAE组NF-κB p65阳性表达率较各治疗组升高（P<0.05）；各治疗组炎症细胞因子TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-6含量较EAE组降低（P<0.05）。治疗组2与治疗组1比较，上述各指标差异显著（均P<0.05），且雷公藤多苷与地塞米松具有交互作用（F=75.749，P<0.01）。
结论：TLRs/NF-κB信号通路可能参与了EAE的发病过程；雷公藤多苷联合地塞米松具有明显改善EAE临床症状的效果，其可能通过抑制TLRs/NF-κB信号通路发挥抗炎及免疫抑制双重疗效。

Effects of tripterygium glycosides combined with dexamethasone on TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway in EAE rats

AIM: To investigate the role of TLRs/NF-κB pathway in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) rats treated with tripterygium glycosides (TG) + dexamethasone (DX). METHODS: Lewis rats were used in the study and divided into control group, EAE model group, therapy 1 group (EAE rats treated with DX) and therapy 2 group (EAE rats treated with DX+TG). The mean clinical score of the rats was determined. The expression of TLR4 and TLR9 at mRNA and protein levels was detected by the methods of real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The protein level of NF-κB p65 was also measured. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: The mean clinical scores at 5th, 16th and 20th day were lower in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group than that in EAE model group. The mean clinical score in therapy 2 group was even lower than that in therapy 1 group. At the 16th day (the peaking period), the mRNA expression of TLR4 and TLR9 in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group were obviously lower than that in EAE model group. The protein levels of TLR4, TLR9 and NF-κB p65 were also significantly lower in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group than those in EAE model group at peak stage of EAE. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were lower in therapy1 group and therapy2 group than those in EAE model group. The significant differences of the mean clinical score, the mRNA expression of TLR4 and TLR9, the positive ratio of NF-κB p65 and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 between therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group were found. The result of orthogonal factorial analysis of variance indicated that the difference of therapeutic effect between DX and DX+TG was significant (F=75.749, P<0.01).  CONCLUSION: The TLRs/NF-κB pathway takes part in the pathological process of EAE. TG combined with DX alleviates the symptoms of EAE by suppressing inflammatory and immunological reactions of EAE.