Rheumatoid arthritis( RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic and aggressive polyarthritis. The innate immunity mechanism plays a key role in the pathogenesis of RA. Tripterygium wilfordii and its extracts have regulatory effects on innate immune cells including macrophages,dendritic cells,neutrophils,mast cells,NK cells,NKT cells,etc.,as well as a variety of innate immune molecules including cytokines,adhesion molecules,patterns recognition receptor( PRR) and the complement molecules,showing a regulatory effect in the pathogenesis of RA innate immunity. In this paper,the recent domestic and foreign researches on the pathogenesis of RA with innate immunity involved were reviewed and the research status of T. wilfordii and its extracts on the regulation of innate immunity involved in RA was summarized.
Keywords: Tripterygium glycosides; Tripterygium wilfordii; celastrol; innate immunity; pathogenesis; rheumatoid arthritis; triptolide.