Study on Inhibitory Effects of Triptolide on the Proliferation of Fibroblast-like Synovial Cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in vitro

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of triptolide(TP)on the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLS)from patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)in vitro. METHODS:5 RA patients received knee arthroplasty or synovectomy to obtain synovial tissue. FLS was isolated,cultured and identified,and then incubated in the presence of TP [0(blank control),50,100 and 200 nmol/ml] for 24,48 and 72 h. The effects of TP on FLS was evaluated by MTT,and then proliferation inhibitory rate was calculated;flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and cell cycle of FLS. RESULTS:The inhibitory rates of TP(50,100 and 200 nmol/ml)on the proliferation of FLS were 17.46%-52.56%,which was positively correlated with drug concentration.Compared with blank control group,100 and 200 nmol/ml TP could increase the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase and decrease the percentage of cells in S phase,with statistical significance(P0.05);200 nmol/ml TP could induce cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS:TP could inhibit the proliferation and also could induce the apoptosis of FLS in RA patients in vitro,which may be one of its mechanism for treating RA.