基于树突状细胞凋亡对Th细胞亚群漂移的作用探讨祛风通络法治疗类风湿关节炎的分子机制

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic poly-articular synovitis. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, RA belongs to the domain of "Bi Syndrom". Dendritic cells (DCs) are central in inducing immunity and mediating immune tolerance in their role as professional antigen-presenting cells. Loss immune regulation of tolerogenic DCs plays a key role in the pathogenesis of RA. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, it has been revealed that the essence of Qu Feng Tong Luo in treatment of RA links to immune response and immune tolerance regulated by DCs. This project intends to explore the molecular essence of Qu Feng Tong Luo in treatment of RA in the theory of Th subsets drift mediated by apoptosis of DCs. To illustrate function and mechanism of Qu Feng Tong Luo Chinese Medicine in regulating apoptosis of DCs is the major content. With the purpose of uncovering mechanism of this, effect of Qu Feng Tong Luo Chinese Medicine on apoptosis of DCs will be observed in vitro. Furthermore, function of DCs, exposed to Qu Feng Tong Luo Chinese Medicine, in regulating Th subsets drift will be analyzed. Meanwhile, apoptosis of DCs in organs of experimental arthritis animal models treated by Qu Feng Tong Luo Chinese Medicine will be evaluated in vivo. The research would discover molecular mechanism of Qu Feng Tong Luo in treating RA and provide modern science for Traditional Chinese therapy of RA.

类风湿关节炎(RA)是一种以多关节慢性滑膜组织炎症为主要表现的自身免疫性疾病，属祖国医学痹证范畴。树突状细胞(DCs)是机体的免疫调节"中枢"，可调节机体的免疫应答和免疫耐受，其致免疫耐受功能失常是RA发病的中心环节。在前两个国家自然科学基金的资助下我们阐明了调节DCs免疫应答和致免疫耐受功能可能是祛风通络法治疗RA的本质。本课题拟从DCs凋亡介导Th细胞亚群漂移的理论探讨RA祛风通络治法的分子实质，以研究祛风通络药物调控DCs凋亡的作用和分子机制为主要内容，观察祛风通络中药体外干预DCs对其凋亡的影响及分子机制，分析干预后DCs凋亡对其调节Th细胞平衡漂移的功能影响，评价祛风通络中药对RA动物模型治疗后体内器官DCs的凋亡情况，为阐明祛风通络法治疗RA的分子基础和RA的中医药治疗提供现代科学的支持。