Research On The Construction Of An Animal Model Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Combined With Wind-cold-dampness Arthralgia Syndrome Based On The Prescription Test

Objective:To establish an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)with a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)Zheng characterized by wind-cold-dampness and explore the possible mechanisms of WuTou Tang(WTT)in the treatment of RA with TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng.Method:An animal model with TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng was established in adjuvant-induce arthritis(AIA)in rats with an environmental wind-cold-damp stimulation.This TCM animal model was evaluated with WTT,a representative TCM herbal formula for treatment of wind-cold-damp RA,and SiMiao Wan(SMW),a representative TCM herbal formula for treatment of wind-cold-hot RA by a comprehensive approach of clinical,histopathological and radiological analyses.Serum levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,IL-17A and IL-17F were detected by ELISA.Percentages of CD4~+Th17 and CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+Treg cells presented in peripheral blood of rats were determined by flow cytometry.Result:WTT significantly delayed the onset time,reduced the incidence rate,and ameliorated joint swelling of the AIA model characterized by TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng.Moreover,WTT markedly inhibited histopathological lesions and bone destruction.As compared with normal control,serum levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,IL-17A and IL-17F in AIA rats with TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng were significantly increased.Percentages of CD4~+Th17 cells were significantly increased and CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+Treg cells decreased in the peripheral blood of rats.Treatment with WTT markedly decreased levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,IL-17A and IL-17F,downregulated expression of CD4~+Th17 cellsand upregulated expression of CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+Treg cells in the peripheral blood of AIA rats with TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng.Conclusions:Based on Chinese medical theory of evaluation and verification of TCM Zheng with the corresponding TCM herbal formula,WTT and SMW were applied to evaluate an animal model of RA with TCM wind-cold-damp Zheng.Our data show that WTT but not SMW is effective in treating this integrated animal model,which may result from reduction in serum levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,IL-17A and IL-17F and regulation of imbalance of Th17 and Treg cells.