| Objective To investigate the effect of Panlongqi tablets regulating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway on rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods RA rats were established after full Freund adjuvant injection, and were randomly divided into RA group, Panlongqi tablets (600 mg/kg intragastric administration) group, methotrexate (1 mg/kg intragastric administration) group, ML385 (10 μmol/L intragastric injection) group, Panlongqi tablets +ML385 group, and control group. Intervention was performed once a day for 28 days., 24 hours after the last dose, the rat joint swelling score was evaluated. Serum levels of inflammatory factors -IL-10, TNF-α, IL-6, oxidative stress -MDA and SOD were detected by ELISA. The apoptosis of synovial cells was determined by flow cytometry. Pathological changes of synovial tissue were detected by HE. QT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of apoptosis genes -Bax and Bcl-2 in synovial tissue. The expression of Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway-related proteins in synovial tissues was detected by Western blot. Results Compared with control group, joint swelling score, TNF-α, IL-6, MDA level, apoptosis rate, Bcl-2 mRNA expression and Keap1 expression were increased in RA group, while IL-10, SOD level, Bax mRNA, Nrf2 and HO-1 expression were decreased (P<0.05). Compared with RA group, the joint swelling score, TNF-α, IL-6, MDA level, apoptosis rate, Bcl-2 mRNA and Keap1 expression in Panlongqi tablet group and Methotrexate group were decreased, while the expressions of IL-10, SOD, Bax mRNA, Nrf2 and HO-1 were increased (P<0.05). ML385 reversed the protective effect of Panlongqi tablet on RA rats. Conclusion Panlongqi tablets inhibit inflammation and synovial cell apoptosis in RA rats by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. |