Therapeutic Effect of Total Saponins from Dioscorea nipponica Makino on Gouty Arthritis Based on the NF-κB Signal Pathway: An In vitro Study

Objective: Dioscorea nipponica Makino is one of the most common used traditional Chinese drugs which are used to treat gouty arthritis (GA). Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway plays an important role during this process. In the present study, we investigated the effects of total saponins from D. nipponica Makino (TDN) on NF-kappa B pathway in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) induced fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Materials and Methods: FLS were divided into three groups: Normal group, model group, which was given 10 mu g/L IL-1 beta to induce the proliferation, and TDN group (10 mu g/L IL-1 beta + 100 mu g/L TDN). 1 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after treating, immune fluorescence method was used to detect the cell location of NF-kappa B p65. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay was used to detect the activation of NF-kappa B p65. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of NF-kappa B p65, I kappa Ba, and p-I kappa Ba. Results: TDN could inhibit the activation and transfer of NF-kappa B p65. As time went on, the expression of NF-kappa B p65 in the cytoplasm was decreased while it was increased in the nucleus. The expression of p-I kappa Ba was increased, whereas the expression of I kappa Ba was not changed. TDN could regulate these abnormal expressions. Conclusion: TDN may treat GA by regulating NF-kappa B signal pathway.