Fig. 6.

ACF facilitated Leflunomide attenuating bone erosion in CRP^H CIA rats. a The diagram of the experimental design. Briefly, SD rats were immunized with bovine type II collagen for 21 days to establish the CIA model. The CIA rats with CRP level within the established reference range for CRP^H rats (91.24 ± 10.12 mg L⁻¹) were administered with vehicle (Veh), Leflunomide (LEF, 10.0 mg kg⁻¹ per day), ACF (1.0 mg kg⁻¹ per day), and the combination of Leflunomide and ACF (LEF + ACF, LEF, 10,0 mg kg⁻¹ per day; ACF, 1.0 mg kg⁻¹ per day) for 28 days, respectively. b The representative reconstructed three-dimensional micro-CT images and clinical arthritic score of the hind paws from CRP^H rats before (baseline, BL) and after the treatment. Non-immunized (NI) rats were used as the controls of the CIA rats. Scale bar, 5.0 mm. *P < 0.05 as determined by repeated - measures ANOVA with a post hoc test. c Levels of serum CRP and TRAP5b in CRP^H rats before (baseline, BL) and after the treatments. d Bone resorption parameters including osteoclast surface per bone surface (Oc.S/BS) and osteoclast number per bone surface (Oc.N/BS) in CRP^H rats before (baseline, BL) and after the treatments. e Bone mass parameters including bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume per total volume (BV/TV) in CRP^H rats before (baseline, BL) and after the treatments. *P < 0.05 as determined by one-way ANOVA with a post hoc test. n = 9 for each group. Source data are provided as a Source Data file