AUTHOR=Wang Xiao , Chang Jun , Zhou Guoliang , Cheng Chenglong , Xiong Youyi , Dou Jinfeng , Cheng Gen , Miao Chenggui 

TITLE=The Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule Inhibits the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis Through the CUL4B/Wnt Pathway

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.750233

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2021.750233

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p>The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still not fully clarified, and the development of therapeutic drugs for RA is particularly urgent. Our group studies a possibility that circ_ 0015756/miR-942-5p may participate in the pathogenesis of RA through disordered <italic>Cullin 4B</italic> (<italic>CUL4B</italic>) and the traditional Chinese medicine compound Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule (HQC) may inhibit the pathogenesis of RA through the <italic>CUL4B</italic>/Wnt pathway. Data showed that the expression of circ_0015756 increased not only in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) of RA, but also in synovium and FLS of CIA mice, and the expression of miR-942-5p decreased. Abnormal circ_0015756 up-regulated the <italic>CUL4B</italic> expression and activated the canonical Wnt signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of miR-942-5p. Circ_0015756 participated in the pathogenesis of RA and promoted the abnormal proliferation of FLS. Further, circ_0015756 activated the secretion of IL-1 and IL-8 and promoted the production of RA pathological gene <italic>MMP3</italic> and <italic>fibronectin</italic>. Further analysis showed that HQC inhibited the pathogenesis of RA through the <italic>CUL4B</italic>/Wnt pathway, and the specific target was <italic>CUL4B</italic>. HQC interfered with the effects of circ_0015756 on the pathogenesis of RA by inhibiting the <italic>CUL4B</italic>, showing a good therapeutic effect on RA.</p>