Objective To understand the possible roles of some proteins expressed by human synovial fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis by means of 2-DE and bioinformatics.Methods The difference of synovial fibroblasts protein expression between osteoarthritis patients and healthy controls was analyzed by 2-DE.The differential expression spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS),followed by bioinformatics analysis.Results Gel-image analysis revealed that there were 36 differential protein spots.A total of 15 differential protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS,of which 6 spots were much more intensive in osteoarthritis patients than normal ones.Conclusion These differential proteins based on bioinformatics analysis might be involved in synovitis in osteoarthritis patients.

Objective To investigate the traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM) syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) by studying the Chinese medical patterns,and analyze the correlations of different indicators and related syndromes. Methods The questionnaires were designed according to clinical epidemiological theories. The data were collected and analyzed by multivariate statistical methods. Results The TCM symptoms of the 401 cases of RA were concluded into 3 common factors,that is,cold,heat and deficient. Their syndromes were sub-classified as 6 groups: cold syndrome,heat syndrome,deficiency,cold heat complex,deficient cold and asthenic fever. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in health assessment questionnaire ( HAQ) ,platelet ( PLT) ,rheumatoid factor ( RF) ,anti-keratin antibody ( AKA) among these 6 TCM syndromes ( P

Objective To observe the effects of S100A4 siRNA on the expression of serum TNF‐α,IL‐1βand VEGF in adjuvant arthritis rats .Methods Adjuvant arthritis rat models were established and were randomly divided into model group and interfere group .On Day 11 ,rats in interfere group were injected with S100A4 siRNA fragment in articular cavity .Arthritis index (AI) chan‐ges and pathological changes of ankle joint were observed .The levels of serum TNF‐α and IL‐1β ,VEGF were detected by ELISA . Results Compared with that of model group ,the levels of serum TNF‐ α ,IL‐1β and VEGF were reduced significantly in interfere group (P< 0 .05) ;variances of AI and pathological scores in interfere group were diminished significantly (P< 0 .05) .Conclusion Inhibition of the expression of S100A4 gene can significantly reduce the expression of inflammatory factor TNF‐α ,IL‐1 β and angio‐genesis factor VEGF ,and improve the pathological injury of synovial membrane .

BACKGROUND: Sinomenine is an alkaloid monomer extracted from a Chinese medicinal herb sinomenium acutum stem. It is used in the therapy of the rheumatoid arthritis and has clear and definite therapeutic effects, but the therapeutic mechanism is unclear.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of sinomenine at different doses in vitro on the activity of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κβ) and mRNA expressions of the tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β) andinterleukin-10 (IL-10) in the synovial cells of the rats with adjuvant arthritis(AA) to explore the probable mechanism of sinomenine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA).DESIGN: A controlled repeated measuring study based on the cells.SETTING: Department of traditional chinese medicine and the institute of burn research of a military medical university.MATERIALS: This study was finished at the Laboratory of the Institute of Burn Research of Chinese PLA. The experimental animals were 25 healthy male Wistar rats of clean grade. The AA model rats were made and the synovial cells were collected and grouped as follows: normal control group, AA group,AA + sinomenine 30 mg/L group, AA + sinomenine 60 mg/L group, AA + sinomenine 120 mg/L group. The activity of the NF-κB was measured by the electrophoresis mobility shift assay(EMSA) . The mRNA expressions of the TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 were measured by reverse transcription-PCR assay.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The results of the changes of the activity of the NF-κB and the mRNA expressions of the TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 in the synovial cells of the rats with adjuvant arthritis after the treatment with sinomenine at different doses.RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the activity of the NF-κB and the mRNA expressions of the TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 in the synovial cells in the AA group all increased significantly and the outcomes were 17±6, 0.570±0.047, 0.730±0.093, 0. 683 ±0.081 (t= 2.71 -4.07, P < 0.05). After the administration of sinomenine, the activity of NF-κB showed a good correlation with mRNA expressions of the TNF-αandIL-13(r=0.810, P <0.001; r=0.562, P <0.05), but no statistical relevance with mRNA expression of IL-10 was established. Sinomenine showed a dose-dependent inhibition on the activity of the NF-κB and the mRNA expressions of the TNF-α and IL-1β in a certain range of concentrations(30-120 mg/L), but no dose-dependent inhibition on mRNA expression of the IL-10 was observed.CONCLUSION: Through the inhibition of the activity of the NF-κB,sinomenine decreased the mRNA expressions of the TNF-α and the IL-1β in the synovial membrane cells.

Objective To find the different plasma-associated proteins of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for understanding the pathogenesis of RA. Methods The total protein from either RA patients or normal ones was prepared by means of immobilized pH gradient based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. After silver staining, gel-image analysis was performed by using PDQuest. The differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Results 2-DE patterns of plasma from controls and RA patients were presented. The results showed that average number of protein spots was 592 and 563 respectively, and the corresponding average matching rate was 89% and 87% respectively. Gel-image analysis revealed that there were 24 differential protein spots. A total of 15 differential protein spots were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF-MS, of which 6 proteins were up-regulated as compared with control. Conclusion The differentially expressed proteins can be observed in plasma from RA and controls, which can be used to elucidate the pathogenesis of RA for further study.

Objective To screen the proteins interacting with FOXP3 in yeast two-hybrid system. Methods The "bait plasmid" pGBKT7 (named as pGBKT7-FOXP3) was constructed successfully. Using FOXP3 as bait, a human liver cDNA library was screened and the proteins interacting with FOXP3 were searched. The false positive clones were discarded by one to one yeast two-hybrid system, and the positive clones were sequenced and analyzed by bioinformatic methods. Results The bait plasmid pGBKT7-FOXP3 was constructed successfully and there was no self-activation or toxicity in AH109. Three proteins had been found in our system to be able to interact with FOXP3. They were tumor protein D52, splicing factor 3b subunit 1 and one hypothetical protein. Conclusion FOXP3 interacts with tumor protein D52, splicing factor 3b subunit 1 and one hypothetical protein, all of which may interfere in cell metabolism and function of T cell.

Objective To construct a bait vector containing human Foxp3 gene in yeast two-hybrid system in order to screen the cDNA library of T lymphocyte. Methods RT-PCR was used to amplify the Foxp3 gene fragment from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with the primers designed in accordance with the sequence in GenBank. The product was inserted into pMD18-T vector. After verified with restriction endonuclease digestion of EcoRⅠ and SalⅠ, the vector was inserted into the “bait plasmid” pGBKT7 (named as pGBKT7-Foxp3). After confirmation with restricted endonuclease digestion and sequence analysis, the plasmid was transformed into the yeast cell AH109, and its toxicity and transcriptional activation was tested by both the phenotype assay and the color assay. Results The amplified product of 1 203 bp was inserted into PMD18-T vector and proven correctly by double restriction enzyme digestion. Sequence analysis revealed that the fragment was correctly inserted into pGBKT7 with a right reading frame and its expression in yeast was verified. Conclusion The bait plasmid pGBKT7-Foxp3 constructed expresses correctly, and can not activate the transcription of reporter gene alone in yeast two-hybrid system