Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory joint disease characterized by excessive activation of inflammatory cells of which the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Perturbed expression and function of immune regulatory molecules called leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILRs) may contribute to uncontrolled inflammation. LILRs primarily expressed on the surface of leukocytes are emerging as critical regulators of the threshold and amplitude of leukocyte activation. Inhibitory LILRs (LILRBs) contain cytoplasmic tails with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs that provide negative signals. Activating LILRs (LILRAs) have short cytoplasmic domains lacking signaling motifs but transmit activating signals by linking to immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs of the FcR γ-chain. Here we show that activating LILRA2, A5 and inhibitory LILRB2, B3 were abundantly expressed in synovial tissue of > 75% RA patients. Expression of LILRA2, A5, and B3 significantly correlated to disease activity. In contrast, LILRA1 and B4 were expressed in a subset of patients and no B1 or B5 expression was detected. LILRA2 and A5 were mainly expressed by synovial macrophages and endothelial cells but not lymphocytes, whereas B2 and B3 were expressed by macrophages and lymphocytes. Increase in the number of macrophages expressing activating LILRs and macrophages and lymphocytes expressing inhibitory LILRs suggest a crosstalk between these cells that may regulate the levels of cellular activation and disease severity, while differences in expression pattern may contribute to disease heterogeneity.

The object of this study is to observe the effects of platycodin D, a saponin purified from Platycodi Radix, on mice collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). A daily dose of 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg platycodin D was administered orally to male DBA/1J mice for 40 days after initial collagen immunization. To ascertain the effects administering the collagen booster, CIA-related features (including body weight, poly-arthritis, knee and paw thickness, and paw weight increase) was measured from histopathological changes in the spleen, left popliteal lymph node, third digit, and the knee joint regions. CIA-related bone and cartilage damage improved significantly in the platycodin D-administered CIA mice. Additionally, myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in the paw were reduced in platycodin D-treated CIA mice compared to CIA control groups. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of oxidative stress, decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the platycodin D group. Finally, the production of IL-6 and TNF-α, involved in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis, was suppressed by treatment with platycodin D. Taken together, these results suggest that platycodin D is a promising new effective antirheumatoid arthritis agent, exerting anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and immunomodulatory effects in CIA mice.

Objectives : The effects of ethanol extract of Plantago asiatica L. were investgated on adipocyte differentiation, lipopogenesis, lipolysis and apoptosis using differnentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.Methods : Plantago asiatica L. was extracted with ethanol (CCE). We carried on MTT assay for cell proliferation, Oil Red O staining for determination of cell differentiation and intracelluar adipogenesis. TUNEL staining assay for cell apoptosis, and Western blot analysis for measurement of pAMPK and pACC, C/EBPα , PPARγ protein expressions were performed. Results : The addition of CCE up to 0.2 mg/ml into cell culture media showed no cytotoxicity. Treatment of 0.2 mg/ml CCE significantly inhibited differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Lipid accumulation of the CCE treated cells was decreased compared with that of control. Induction of cell apoptosis was increased in CCE treated cells compared with that of control. AMPK and ACC levels of the cells with 0.2 mg/ml CCE were led to phosphorylation and also expressions of C/EBPα and PPARγ , as adipogenic transcription factors, were suppressed compared with those of control. Conclusions : Taken together, these results provide evidence that CCE has a regulatory role in lipid metabolism that is related to differentiation into adipocytes, adipogenesis and apoptosis.

Objectives This study is to review the effect of pharmacopuncture on treatment of osteoporosis in animal models reported in korean domestic journals. Methods The databases (Koreantk, KISS, NDSL) were searched with term as osteoporosis, and animal study reports on osteoporosis with pharmacopuncture were reviewed. Animal model, intervention, and osteoporosis indicator were extracted. Results 22 articles were reviewed. 11 studies used ddy mouse and 9 studies used SD rat. 20 studies used ovariectomy to induce osteoporosis. 21 studies used simple pharmacopuncture. Cervi pantotrichum cornu was most frequently used pharmacopuncture and Umgok (KI10) was most frequently used acupuncture point. Each study shows significant changes of osteoporosis indicators. Conclusions Pharmacopuncture is expected to be a positive effect on osteoporosis.

Objectives In this study, we analyzed the effect of Dioscoreae Rhizoma on exercise practice ability and blood fatigue variable factor in the forced swimming test. Methods Male mice were divided into four group. Mice were administrated with saline, Discorae Rhizoma extracted by water (DRW), Discorae Rhizoma extracted by 30% ethanol (DRE), red ginseng (RG), orally once per day, for 1 week. Exercise performance was evaluated by exhaustive swimming time and weights. Glycogen contents of liver and soleus muscle were measured at the end of the experiment. In addition, the biochemical parameters such as asparate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen, creatine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ammonia, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and free fatty acid (FFA) were analyzed. Results Both DRW and DRE showed an improvement of swimming endurance compared with control group. Levels of ALT, ammonia, TG, TC and FFA were significantly decreased in both DRW and DRE compared with control group. Levels of AST, Creatine were significantly reduced in DRE group compared with control group. Moreover LDH showed only a tendency to increase in the DRW and DRE groups. Conclusions In summary, the present study showed that Dioscoreae Rhizoma improved in physical fatigue and exercise practice ability and DRE improved the superior than those of DRW.