Gambogic acid suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis rats via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

  • Authors:
    • Xiaodan Wu
    • Li Long
    • Jian Liu
    • Jin Zhang
    • Tong Wu
    • Xixi Chen
    • Bing Zhou
    • Ting‑Zhuo Lv
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 11, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7459
  • Pages: 7112-7118
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Abstract

Gamboge is the dried resin secreted by the Garcinia maingayi gambogic tree and is a substance that may be used to treat a variety of diseases, exhibits anti‑tumor and detoxification effects and prevents bleeding. The primary active constituent is gambogic acid. The present study aimed to investigate the anti‑inflammatory effects of gambogic acid in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rats and to elucidate the mechanisms by which these effects occur. The swelling degree, the clinical arthritic scoring and pain threshold measurements were used to evaluate the effects of gambogic acid on RA. ELISA kits and western blot analysis were used to investigate inflammatory processes and the expression of RA‑associated proteins, respectively. The present results demonstrated that gambogic acid significantly inhibited the degree of right foot swelling, increased pain thresholds and reduced clinical arthritic scores of RA rats. Treatment with gambogic acid suppressed the activities of interleukin (IL)‑1β and IL‑6, promoted the protein expression of phosphorylated (p)‑Akt serine/threonine kinase (Akt), p‑mammalian target protein of rapamycin (mTOR) and inhibited hypoxia‑inducible factor‑1α and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in RA rats. The results of the present study therefore suggest that the anti‑inflammatory effects of gambogic acid in RA rats occur via regulation of the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
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November-2017
Volume 16 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Wu X, Long L, Liu J, Zhang J, Wu T, Chen X, Zhou B and Lv TZ: Gambogic acid suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis rats via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 16: 7112-7118, 2017
APA
Wu, X., Long, L., Liu, J., Zhang, J., Wu, T., Chen, X. ... Lv, T. (2017). Gambogic acid suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis rats via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Molecular Medicine Reports, 16, 7112-7118. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7459
MLA
Wu, X., Long, L., Liu, J., Zhang, J., Wu, T., Chen, X., Zhou, B., Lv, T."Gambogic acid suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis rats via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway". Molecular Medicine Reports 16.5 (2017): 7112-7118.
Chicago
Wu, X., Long, L., Liu, J., Zhang, J., Wu, T., Chen, X., Zhou, B., Lv, T."Gambogic acid suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis rats via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway". Molecular Medicine Reports 16, no. 5 (2017): 7112-7118. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7459