| Objective: To study the effect of artesunate on serum levels and renal expression of IL-6 and TGF-β in SLE-like mice and it's clinical significance. Methods: SLE-like syndrome in (C57BL/6×BALB/c)F1 mice can be induced by intravenous injection of lymphocytes from BALB/c parental mice. The mice were divided into three groups: Group 1, treated by saline; Group 2, treated by artesunate; Group 3, treated by tripterygium. Another group (Group 4) were normal mice not received injection of lymphocytes. Blood samples were obtained before and three months after treatment. Red blood cell and white blood cell were counted. Expression of anti-dsDNA, IL-6 and TGF-β in serum of SLE-like mice were also detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent asssay(ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody specific for IL-6 and TGF-β. Expression of IL-6 and TGF-βin kidney were also detected by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal rabbit anti-mouse IL-6 and monoclonal rabbit anti-mouse TGF-βrespectively. Results: Before treatment, the counts of red blood cell and white blood cell were lower in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 than in Group 4 (P<0.05); the serum levels of anti-dsDNA in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 were increased. IL-6 were significantly higher in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 than in Group 4 (P<0.05); the levels of TGF-β were significantly lower in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 than in Group 4 (P<0.05). Three months after treatment, the counts of red blood cell and white blood cell in Group 2 and Group 3 were increased than before treatment (P<0.05); the serum levels of anti-dsDNA were lower than before treatment (P<0.05); a reduction in the production of IL-6 was demonstrated in group 2 and group 3, but the reduction in the plasma level of IL-6 was not statistically significant (P>0.05). An increase in the production of TGF-βin group 2 and group 3 was demonstrated, and the increase was statistically significant (P>0.05). Three months after treatment, the counts of red blood cell and white blood cell in Group 2 and Group 3 were more than in Group 1 (P<0.05), but less than in Group 4(P>0.05); The serum levels of anti-dsDNA were lower than in Group 1 (P<0.05); The serum levels of IL-6 were lower in group 2 and group 3 than in Group 1 (P>0.05), but higher than in Group 4 (P>0.05); The serum levels of TGF-βwere higher in group 2 and group 3 than in Group 1 (P<0.05), but lower than in Group 4 (P>0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of TGF-βwas significantly detected in glomerulus in Group 2 , Group 3 and Group 4, but not observed in Group 1. The results show that group 1 had overexpression with the highest score of IL-6 expression in glomerular mesangial cells and diffuse distribution throughout the glomerular mesangium and capillary, interstitium and renal tubule. In Group 2, Group 3 and Group 4, IL-6 was distributed in the glomerular mesangial area and in vascular walls. Conclusions: Corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive agents are usually used to treat patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Their curative effect is reliable, but they are used limitedly due to the side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine is effective on autoimmune diseases. Tipterygium glycosides has been studying for years and has been clinical used widely. The side effects, such as impairment of liver and renal function, bone marrow depression, have been paid more attention to with the accumulation of experience. Artesunate is a new kind of antimalarial medicine. It's a derivative of arteannuin. Artesunate not only has antimalarial effect, but also has effect of antitumor and immunomodulation. Compared to tripterygium glycosides, artesunate has more safety and has lower toxicity. Active monocytes are the principal soure of IL-6 in blood. Local IL-6 is mainly secreted by fibroblasts and macrophages. Other cell type sources are T cells, B cells, endothelial cells, glomerular mesangial cells and so on. It was demonstrated that IL-6 functions in the late phase of SAC stimulation of normal B cells, inducing immunoglobulin (IgM, IgG and Ig...
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