Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook multi-glycosides T2 has been wildly used in China in treatment of RA. T4 was abstracted from T2 and was reported much more efficient in anti-inflammatory and immune suppression than T2. This study was to investigate the effect Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook T4 monomer on proliferation and interleukin-6 production of synovial fibroblasts of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Synovium was obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing synovectomies or joint replacement. Cultures of synovial fibroblasts were established. After 3 generations, cultured synovial fibroblasts were stimulated with IL-1. Then 1.5 ng/ml, 5 ng/ml and 15 ng/ml T4 were added, and synovial fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of T4 for 48 hours. Cell proliferation was assayed using MTT method. IL-6 level of supernatant was measured by ELISA.
Proliferation of synovial fibroblasts was inhibited by T4. The proliferation inhibition effect of T4 was dose dependent and inhibition rate was 5.18%, 10.95% and 21.37%, respectively. And T4 had no effect on IL-6 production by IL-1 stimulated synovial fibroblasts.
T4 might control the disease activity of RA by inhibiting the proliferation of synoviocyte. And T4 might not influence the concentration of IL-6 in synovial fluid, as a central effect, since IL-6 has protective effect on articular cartilage.