Green tea compound may be a therapy for people with rheumatoid arthritis
綠茶中的成分可治療類風濕關節炎

A new study from the University of Michigan Health System suggests that a compound in green tea may provide therapeutic benefits to people with rheumatoid arthritis.
密歇根大學衛生系統的一項新的研究表明，綠茶中的一種成分有可能治療類風濕關節炎。

The study, presented April 29 at the Experimental Biology 2007 in Washington, D.C., looks at a potent anti-inflammatory compound derived from green tea. Researchers found that the compound -- called EGCG -- inhibited the production of several molecules in the immune system that contribute to inflammation and joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
該研究對來自綠茶的一種有效抗炎成分進行了研究，在4月29日在華盛頓特區召開的“2007年實驗生物學大會”上報告了該研究結果。研究人員發現，這種稱為表EGCG的成分，可抑制類風濕關節炎患者免疫系統中參與炎性和關節損傷的多種分子的產生。

The compound from green tea also was found to suppress the inflammatory products in the connective tissue of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
這種來自綠茶的成分還可抑制類風濕關節炎患者結締組織中的炎性成分。

"Our research is a very promising step in the search for therapies for the joint destruction experienced by people who have rheumatoid arthritis," says Salah-uddin Ahmed, Ph.D., lead researcher on the study. Ahmed, a research investigator with the Division of Rheumatology at the U-M Health System, was selected to present the research at the Experimental Biology meeting as the recipient of the Young Scientist Travel Award, given by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. This study was also selected by the American Society for Nutrition to be featured in a press release.
“對於探討類風濕性關節炎患者關節損傷的治療來說，我們的研究是非常有前途的進展。”該研究首席研究員Salah-uddin Ahmed博士說道。Ahmed是密歇根大學衛生系統類風濕病學系的研究員，這次作為美國藥理和實驗治療學學會授予的“青年科學家旅行獎”獲得者，被遴選在“實驗生物學大會”上做研究報告。該研究還被美國營養學會選登在一篇新聞稿件中。

To conduct the research, the scientists isolated cells called synovial fibroblasts from the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These fibroblasts -- cells that form a lining of the tissue surrounding the capsule of the joints -- then were cultured in a growth medium and incubated with the green tea compound.
在該研究過程中，研究人員從類風濕性關節炎患者關節中分離了滑膜成纖維細胞，然後在生長培養液中培養和應用該綠茶成分進行孵育。

The fibroblasts were then stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1b, a protein of the immune system known to play an important role in causing joint destruction in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
然後應用促炎性細胞因子IL-1b刺激成纖維細胞，IL-1b作為免疫系統蛋白，是造成類風濕關節炎患者關節破壞的主要成分。

The researchers looked at whether the green tea compound has the capability to block the activity of two potent molecules, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which also are actively involved in causing bone erosion in the joints of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
研究人員考察了該綠茶成分是否具有阻斷IL-6和環氧化酶-2（COX-2）活性的作用，該兩種成分與類風濕關節炎患者骨侵蝕有密切的關係。

When untreated cells were stimulated with IL-1b, a sequence of molecular events occurred that resulted in production of the bone-destructive molecules. But the scientists found that pre-incubation with EGCG was capable of inhibiting the production of these molecules. EGCG also inhibited the production of prostaglandin E2, a hormone-like substance that causes inflammation in the joints.
當未處理的細胞經IL-1b刺激後，導致骨破壞性分子的產生。但科學家發現，細胞預先與EGCG孵育，可抑制這些分子的產生。EGCG還可抑制導致關節炎症的激素樣物質—前列腺素E2的產生。

The cell signaling pathways that regulate levels of these immune system molecules under both normal and rheumatoid arthritis situations are well studied, and the researchers were able to trace the effects of the green tea compound infusion to see that it worked by inhibiting these pathways.
正常和類風濕性關節炎狀態下這些免疫系統分子水平調節的細胞信號途徑已非常清楚，研究人員能夠探索該綠茶成分的作用是通過抑制這些途徑來實現的。

Ahmed says that these studies suggest that EGCG or molecules that could be derived synthetically from the EGCG found in green tea may be of therapeutic value by inhibiting the joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
Ahmed稱，這些研究表明，綠茶中的EGCG或EGCG合成衍生物在抑制類風濕關節炎關節破壞方面可能具有治療價值。

Previously, Ahmed and other researchers made another promising finding when EGCG-pretreated synovial fibroblasts were stimulated with the cytokine IL-1b to study the protective effect of this green tea compound. Compared to untreated synovial fibroblasts, the cells treated with EGCG markedly blocked the ability of IL-1b to produce the proteins and enzymes that infiltrate the joints of persons with rheumatoid arthritis and cause cartilage degradation.
此前，Ahmed以及其他研究人員另外一個有價值的發現是，應用IL-1b刺激EGCG預處理的滑膜成纖維細胞來研究該綠茶成分的保護作用。與未處理的滑膜成纖維細胞相比，EGCG處理的細胞明顯地阻斷IL-1b產生某些蛋白和酶的能力，而這些蛋白和酶可滲透進入類風濕性關節炎患者的關節從而導致軟骨退變。

The laboratory now is focused on the inhibitory role of EGCG in gene expression. The scientists plan to test EGCG in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis to see if it provides similar therapeutic or preventive effects. Ahmed believes that the outcome of these studies will form a strong foundation for future testing of green tea compound in humans with rheumatoid arthritis.
該實驗室目前致力於EGCG對基因表達抑製作用的研究。科學家計劃應用類風濕性關節炎動物模型來測試EGCG是否也具有類似治療和預防作用。Ahmed相信，這些實驗結果將為未來在類風濕關節炎患者身上進行該綠茶成分的研究提供堅實的基礎。