Berberine Modulates LPA Function to Inhibit the Proliferation and Inflammation of FLS-RA via p38/ERK MAPK Pathway Mediated by LPA₁

Figure 3

Berberine alters the expression levels of K-ras and c-Raf, as well as the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and p-38 of FLS-RA. (a, b) Berberine treatment at 12.5 and 25 μM for 24 h downregulates the expression of K-ras and ATX, as detected by RT-PCR. (c) Berberine makes no difference to the expression of LPA₁, as measured by western blotting. (d) The expression levels of c-Raf, P-p38, P-JNK, and P-ERK1/2 are measured through western blotting. Berberine treatment for 24 h downregulates the expression of P-p38 (e), P-ERK1/2 (f), and c-Raf (h) in a dose-dependent manner. (g) The phosphorylation level of JNK shows no significant difference before and after berberine treatment. ; . Ctrl, control group; ATX, autotaxin; and FLS-RA, fibroblast-like synovial cells of rheumatoid arthritis.