The role of circulating miR-146a in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated by Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is polygenic autoimmune disease with unclear etiology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of RA. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of miR-146a in patients with RA receiving Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) treatment.In total, 69 patients with RA and 69 healthy controls (HC) were included in the study, and patients with RA received TwHF treatment for 24 weeks. Blood samples were collected from RA patients and HC, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated. Expression of miR-146a was analyzed in RA patients (baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks) and HC.Circulating miR-146a expression was markedly increased in patients with RA compared with healthy controls (P < .001), ROC analysis of miR-146a for diagnosis for RA showed that the AUC was 0.908 (95% CI: 0.862-0.955) with a sensitivity of 87.0% and a specificity of 82.6% at best cutoff. And miR-146a expression was positively associated with the DAS28 score and CRP level (P = .002 and P = .019). Moreover, miR-146a expression was markedly reduced after TwHF therapy (P < .001), and baseline miR-146a level was observed to present an increased tendency in responders compared with non-responders at 24 weeks (P = .066).Our study presented that circulating miR-146a level was correlated with risk and disease activity of RA patients by TwHF treatment, which could strikingly decrease expression of miR-146a in RA patients, and miR-146a may have a value in predicting clinical response of TwHF treatment. It indicates that circulating miR-146a plays a prominent role in RA patients treated by TwHF.

[Protective effect of haliotidis on the oxidative damage in the human lens epithelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of haliotidis extractive on the oxidative damage in the human lens epithelial cells cultured in vitro. METHODS: Experimental study. Cultured human lens epithelial cells in vitro were intervened with hydrogen peroxide caused oxidative damage model, at the same time added different concentrations of concha haliotidis extractive. With control experiment research cells were divided into the blank control group, positive control group hydrogen peroxide group and hydrogen peroxide and different concentrations of concha haliotidis group, and on the first, third, fifth day the activity of Cultured human lens epithelial cells were detected with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) , cellular proliferation and morphological changes were observed with interred phase contrast microscope, and then on the third day chemical colorimetric were used to detect the homogenates superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione(GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) level. RESULTS: (1) At different time points there were variations between the activity of HLEC in each experimental group, Among each experimental group HLEC OD value of the cell vitality at 1 d, 3 d, 5 d , respectively were blank control group: 0.88, 1.28, 1.32; Positive control group: 0.73, 1.02, 1.06; 0.001% concha haliotis extract group: 0.73, 1.03, 1.06; 0.01% concha haliotis extract group: 0.76, 1.10, 1.13; 0.1% concha haliotis extract group: 0.79, 1.22, 1.21; 0.3% concha haliotis extract group: 0.79, 1.21, 1.21; the difference between groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05) (1 d, F = 23 922.42, P < 0.05;3 d, F = 120 605.86, P < 0.05; 5 d, F = 150 939.45, P < 0.05). H2O2 made the vitality of the cells reduce, concha haliotidis enhance its vitality, and in a certain range of time and concentrations there was dependence, with which the third day and 0.1% was the best. (2) After adding H2O2, the SOD and GSH level of HLEC reduced,(SOD 158.05 U/mgprot,GSH 15.05 mg/gprot) but MDA increased to 18.11 nmol/mgprot, concha haliotidis groups made the increase of antioxidant level(SOD 188.64 U/mgprot,GSH 21.05 mg/1000 mgprot)and the decrease of lipid peroxidation in oxidative damaged HLECs(MDA 14.16 nmol/mgprot), change had a statistical significance(P < 0.05) (SOD: F = 983.04, P < 0.05; GSH: F = 444.44, P < 0.05; MDA: F = 830.52, P < 0.05). (3)The chromatin of the positive control group concentrated and aggregated obviously, the aggregation of chromatin in concha haliotidis group lightened. CONCLUSION: The concha haliotidis can protect the cultured human lens epithelial cells in vitro which are oxidative injured, increased intracellular antioxidant levels, reduce the generation of hazardous products.