Geniposide prevents tumor growth by inhibiting colonic interleukin-1ß and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 via down-regulated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and thymocyte selection-associated high mobility box proteins TOX/TOX2 in azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice.

Colon cancer was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan in 2019. The effects of geniposide isolated from Gardenia jasminoides fructus (Rubiaceae) on the azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced growth of colon tumors and changes in interleukin (IL)-1 ß, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, IL-10, and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) levels in the colon were investigated. The intraperitoneal administration of AOM (10 mg/kg) on days 0 and 27 induced colorectal carcinogenesis. Free access to 1% (w/v) DSS drinking water was given to mice on days 7-15, 32-33, and 35-38. Geniposide (30 and 100 mg/kg) was orally administered on days 1-16, discontinued for 11 days (days 16 to 26), and then administered again on days 27-41. Colonic levels of cytokines, chemokine, and PD-1 were measured using by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Increases in colorectal tumor numbers and areas were significantly inhibited by geniposide. In addition, geniposide (100 mg/kg) reduced colonic levels of IL-1 ß, MCP-1, PD-1 and IL-10 by 67.4, 57.2, 100%, and 100% respectively. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2- and thymocyte selection high mobility group box proteins (TOX/TOX2)-positive cell numbers were significantly reduced by geniposide. Geniposide (30 and 100 mg/kg) decreased the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) expressions in immunohistochemical analysis by 64.2 and 98.2%, respectively. Thus, the inhibitory effects of geniposide on colon tumor growth may be associated with reductions in the colonic levels of IL-1 ß, MCP-1, IL-10, and PD-1 via the down-regulated expression of COX-2 and TOX/TOX2 through the inhibition of Phospho-STAT3 expression (in vivo and in vitro).

Anethole ameliorates inflammation induced by monosodium urate in an acute gouty arthritis model via inhibiting TLRs/MyD88 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of anethole on monosodium urate (MSU)-induced inflammatory response, investigate its role in acute gouty arthritis (AGA), and verify its molecular mechanism. METHODS: Hematoxylin and eosin staining assay and time-dependent detection of degree of ankle swelling were performed to assess the effects of anethole on joint injury in MSU-induced AGA mice. Enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay was performed to demonstrate the production levels of inflammatory factors (interleukin 1ß [IL-1ß], interleukin 6 [IL-6], interleukin 8 [IL-8], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 [MCP-1]) in MSU-induced AGA mice. Western blot assays were used to confirm the effects of anethole on oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activity and the activation of toll-like receptors (TLRs)-myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) pathway in MSU-induced AGA mice. RESULTS: We observed that a significant joint injury occurred in MSU-induced AGA mice. Anethole could alleviate the pathological injury of the synovium in MSU-induced AGA mice and suppressed ankle swelling. In addition, we observed that anethole could inhibit MSU-induced inflammatory response and inflammasome activation in MSU-induced AGA mice. Moreover, we discovered that anethole enabled to inhibit the activation of TLRs/MyD88 pathway in MSU-induced AGA mice. Our findings further confirmed that anethole contributed to the inhibitory effects on progression in MSU-induced AGA mice. CONCLUSION: It confirmed that anethole ameliorated the MSU-induced inflammatory response in AGA mice in vivo via inhibiting TLRs-MyD88 pathway.

Effect of baricitinib in regulating programmed death 1 and ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 through JAK/STAT pathway in psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES: Psoriasis is a chronic infectious skin disease triggered by an autoimmune process involving T-cell-mediated hyper-proliferation of keratinocytes. The objective of this study is to assess the modulation of programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) through JAK/STAT pathway during the development of a psoriasis-like disease by both in vitro and in vivo model. Baricitinib, a known inhibitor of JAK1 and JAK2, was used to study the impact on PD-1 and PD-L1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with either anti-CD3/CD28 or PMA/Ionomycin, to modulate level of PD-1 and PD-L1 under psoriasis-like condition. Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) was used to treat HaCaT cells to mimic the diseased keratinocytes found in Psoriatic patients. Psoriasis was induced with Imiquimod (IMQ) in animal model to study the cross-talk between different cell types and pathways. RESULTS: Expression levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 in PBMC, and secretion of cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), IFNγ, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1 ß, were down-regulated on treatment with baricitinib. Further, in IFNγ-treated HaCaT cells (keratinocytes) mRNA levels of KRT-17 and PD-L1 were up-regulated.). Interestingly, in IFNγ-treated HaCat cells baricitinib decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 ß, IL-6, and TNFα along with KRT-17 and PD-L1. On IFNγ-treatment. Data from both PBMC and HaCaT suggest an anti-inflammatory role for this compound. Accordingly, baricitinib was able to alleviate disease symptom in IMQ induce mice model of psoriasis. As a consequence of baricitinib treatment down-regulation of p-STAT3, PD- and PD-L1 expression levels were observed. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a crosstalk between JAK/STAT and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways. It also demonstrates that cytokines such as IFNγ and IL-17 are down-regulated by baricitinib. We believe decreased expressions of PD-1 and PD-L1 may be a consequence of baricitinib-induced down-regulation of IFNγ and IL-17. More importantly, our data from the acute model of psoriasis indicates that PD-L1 behaves as a T-cell-associated T-cell-associated surrogate activation marker rather than immunosuppressive marker in early phase of psoriasis. Therefore it does not exhibit a causal relationship to disease.

A unique cerebellar pattern of microglia activation in a mouse model of encephalopathy of prematurity.

Preterm infants often show pathologies of the cerebellum, which are associated with impaired motor performance, lower IQ and poor language skills at school ages. Using a mouse model of inflammation-induced encephalopathy of prematurity driven by systemic administration of pro-inflammatory IL-1ß, we sought to uncover causes of cerebellar damage. In this model, IL-1ß is administered between postnatal day (P) 1 to day 5, a timing equivalent to the last trimester for brain development in humans. Structural MRI analysis revealed that systemic IL-1ß treatment induced specific reductions in gray and white matter volumes of the mouse cerebellar lobules I and II (5% false discovery rate [FDR]) from P15 onwards. Preceding these MRI-detectable cerebellar volume changes, we observed damage to oligodendroglia, with reduced proliferation of OLIG2+ cells at P10 and reduced levels of the myelin proteins myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) at P10 and P15. Increased density of IBA1+ cerebellar microglia were observed both at P5 and P45, with evidence for increased microglial proliferation at P5 and P10. Comparison of the transcriptome of microglia isolated from P5 cerebellums and cerebrums revealed significant enrichment of pro-inflammatory markers in microglia from both regions, but cerebellar microglia displayed a unique type I interferon signaling dysregulation. Collectively, these data suggest that perinatal inflammation driven by systemic IL-1ß leads to specific cerebellar volume deficits, which likely reflect oligodendrocyte pathology downstream of microglial activation. Further studies are now required to confirm the potential of protective strategies aimed at preventing sustained type I interferon signaling driven by cerebellar microglia as an important therapeutic target.

microRNA-4701-5p protects against interleukin-1ß induced human chondrocyte CHON-001 cells injury via modulating HMGA1.

BACKGROUND: miRNA-4701-5p has been reported to be a vital regulator in many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, and miRNA-4701-5p is evidenced to be participated in synovial invasion and joint destruction. In our report, we investigated the roles of miRNA-4701-5p in osteoarthritis (OA) and analyzed the molecular mechanism. METHODS: Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) was applied for stimulating human chondrocyte CHON-001 cells to establish an OA injury model. mRNA levels and protein expression were measured using qRT-PCR and western blot assay, respectively. The proliferation ability and cytotoxicity of CHON-001 cells were checked using MTT assay and lactate dehydrogenase activity. The inflammation of chondrocytes was accessed by the secretion levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The apoptosis of chondrocytes was determined by flow cytometry assay. Bioinformatics software Starbase v2.0 analyzed the functional binding sites between miRNA-4701-5p and HMGA1 and the interaction was further confirmed using dual luciferase reporter analysis. RESULTS: miRNA-4701-5p was down-regulated in the IL-1ß-stimulated chondrocytes and HMGA1 directly targeted miRNA-4701-5p. Up-regulation of miRNA-4701-5p could alleviate IL-1ß-treated CHON-001 cells inflammation and apoptosis, and reversed the cell proliferation decrease and cytotoxicity increase after IL-1ß treatment. Nevertheless, all the roles of miRNA-4701-5p overexpression in CHON-001 cells could be reversed by HMGA1 up-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: miRNA-4701-5p could alleviate the inflammatory injury of IL-1ß-treated CHON-001 cells via down-regulating HMGA1, indicating that miRNA-4701-5p/HMGA1 is a promising therapeutic target for OA.

MicroRNA-128-3p suppresses interleukin-1ß-stimulated cartilage degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis via targeting zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 in osteoarthritis.

Accumulating studies have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Nevertheless, the specific function of miR-128-3p in OA remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that miR-128-3p was decreased and ZEB1 was increased in OA. Additionally, miR-128-3p expression was negatively correlated with ZEB1. miR-128-3p overexpression or ZEB1 silencing attenuated extracellular matrix degradation and cell apoptosis, and increased the proliferation of IL-1ß-activated CHON-001 cells. Furthermore, ZEB1 was directly targeted by miR-128-3p. In addition, ZEB1 upregulation restored the effects of miR-128-3p overexpression on OA progression. Overall, our findings suggested that miR-128-3p might regulate the development of OA via targeting ZEB1.

The protective effects of dezocine on interleukin-1ß-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis of human nucleus pulposus cells and the possible mechanisms.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a natural problem linked to the inflammation. We aimed to investigate the role of dezocine (DEZ) in the development of IDD. Human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs) induced by interleukin (IL)-1ß was used as a cellular model of IDD. After treatment with DEZ, HNPCs viability was evaluated with a CCK-8 assay. Then, the levels of inflammatory factors, including IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and oxidative stress-related markers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), were tested by RT-qPCR or kits. TUNEL staining was employed to detect cell apoptosis and Western blot was used to determine the expression of proteins related to inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and MAPK signaling. Afterward, PMA, a MAPK signaling pathway agonist, was adopted for exploring the regulatory effects of DEZ on MAPK pathway. Results indicated that DEZ enhanced cell viability of HNPCs after IL-1ß exposure. DEZ alleviated the inflammation and oxidative stress, evidenced by decreased levels of IL-6, TNF-α, ROS, MDA, p-NF-κB p65, NF-κB p65 in nucleus, cox-2 and increased levels of NF-κB p65 in cytoplasm, GSH, SOD1 and SOD2. Moreover, DEZ notably inhibited IL-1ß-induced apoptosis of HNPCs. Furthermore, DEZ suppressed the levels of ERS-related proteins. The levels of related proteins in MAPK signaling including p-P38 and p-ERK1/2 were remarkably reduced after DEZ administration. By contrast, PMA crippled the impacts of DEZ on inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis of HNPCs induced by IL-1ß. Collectively, DEZ ameliorates IL-1ß-induced HNPCs injury via inhibiting MAPK signaling.

Compatibility of Achyranthes bidentata components in reducing inflammatory response through Arachidonic acid pathway for treatment of Osteoarthritis.

Achyranthes bidentate is a common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used in treating osteoarthritis (OA). The compatibility between effective components has now become a breakthrough in understanding the mechanism of TCM. This study aimed at determining the optimal compatibility and possible mechanism of Achyranthes bidentate for OA treatment. Results showed that the adhesion score of the OA group is higher than NC group, and showed a trend of down-regulation in the intervention group. The CHI3L1 and IL-1ß in joint fluid of the OA group was significantly increased compared to the sham operation group (NC group). Group G, I, and L exhibited significantly down-regulated CHI3L1, while groups C, F, I, K, and L exhibited reduced IL-1ß. Joint adhesion, damage in cartilage, and synovial tissue was found in the OA model, cartilage tissue was found recovered in groups I, J, and L, and synovial tissue was recovered in group G, I, and L. Thus, group I and L were chosen for metabolite analysis, and indole-3-propionic acid was slightly up-regulated, while koeiginequinone A, prostaglandin H2, and 1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-10-methylacridonew were down-regulated in group I and L. According to functional analysis, the arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic pathway is enriched. Down-regulated expression of vital proteins in the AA metabolism pathway, such as PGE2 and COX2 in group I and L were verified. In conclusion, Hydroxyecdysone, Oleanolic acid, Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide at a compatibility of 0.03-µg/mg, 2.0-µg/mg, 20.0-µg/mg or 0.03-µg/mg, 2.0-µg/mg, 10.0-µg/mg, respectively, may be the optimal compatibility of Achyranthes bidentate.

The protective effects of etomidate against interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced oxidative stress, extracellular matrix alteration and cellular senescence in chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease associated with aging. Etomidate is an intravenous anesthetic with profound antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We speculated that etomidate might exert a beneficial effect on OA. Herein, we explored the effects of etomidate on interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)- induced chondrocytes. Our results prove that etomidate ameliorated the IL-1ß-induced oxidative stress in C28/12 chondrocytes by decreasing and increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels, respectively. Etomidate prevented the IL-1ß-induced increase in the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) in C28/I2 chondrocytes at both mRNA and protein levels. It also caused a significant reduction in the percentage of senescence-associated-ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-Gal)-stained chondrocytes, while inducing elevated telomerase activity in IL-1ß-treated C28/I2 chondrocytes. The expression levels of senescence regulators, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and p16, were also inhibited by etomidate in IL-1ß-treated C28/I2 chondrocytes. In addition, etomidate caused the activation of Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), along with upregulated expression levels of phosphorylated AMPKα and phosphorylated acetyl-Co A carboxylase (ACC). Moreover, blockage of AMPK using compound C abolished the protective effects of etomidate on IL-1ß-challenged C28/I2 chondrocytes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that etomidate protected C28/I2 chondrocytes from IL-1ß-induced oxidative stress, ECM degradation, and cellular senescence via activating AMPK signaling.

High-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid Inhibits IL-1ß-Induced Synovial Inflammation and Macrophage Polarization through the GRP78-NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Recent evidence has suggested that synovial inflammation and macrophage polarization were involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA) was often used clinically to treat OA. GRP78, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress chaperone, was suggested to contribute to the hyperplasia of synovial cells in OA. However, it was still unclear whether HMW-HA affected macrophage polarization through GRP78. Therefore, we aimed to identify the effect of HMW-HA in primary synovial cells and macrophage polarization and to investigate the role of GRP78 signaling. We used IL-1ß to treat primary synoviocytes to mimic OA, and then treated them with HMW-HA. We also collected conditioned medium (CM) to culture THP-1 macrophages and examine the changes in the phenotype. IL-1ß increased the expression of GRP78, NF-κB (p65 phosphorylation), IL-6, and PGE2 in primary synoviocytes, accompanied by an increased macrophage M1/M2 polarization. GRP78 knockdown significantly reversed the expression of IL-1ß-induced GRP78-related downstream molecules and macrophage polarization. HMW-HA with GRP78 knockdown had additive effects in an IL-1ß culture. Finally, the synovial fluid from OA patients revealed significantly decreased IL-6 and PGE2 levels after the HMW-HA treatment. Our study elucidated a new form of signal transduction for HMW-HA-mediated protection against synovial inflammation and macrophage polarization and highlighted the involvement of the GRP78-NF-κB signaling pathway.

Silencing BLNK protects against interleukin-1ß-induced chondrocyte injury through the NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the elderly and is characterized by the progressive degeneration of articular cartilage. It is necessary to study the molecular pathology of OA. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of BLNK in regulating interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced chondrocyte injury and OA progression. METHODS: GSE1919 (5 normal samples and 5 OA samples) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The limma package in R software was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control and OA-affected cartilage. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of the differentially expressed genes were also performed. Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. An OA rat model was established, and the relative expression of BLNK was assessed by real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining. The expression of collagen II, MMP9, p65 and p-p65 was measured by Western blot analysis. Moreover, inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-18) were assessed by ELISA. The NF-κB inhibitor JSH-23 was used to assess the impact of BLNK on the NF-κB signaling pathway. RESULTS: In total, 1318 DEGs were identified between normal and OA-affected cartilage according to the criteria (P-value <0.05 and |logFC > 1|). These DEGs were mainly enriched in the NF-κB pathway. BLNK was highly expressed in OA cartilage tissue and injured chondrocytes. Silencing BLNK significantly downregulated the IL-1ß-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes. Silencing BLNK partially increased collagen II expression and downregulated MMP13 expression. Moreover, silencing BLNK partially decreased TNF-α and IL-18 expression. BLNK silencing inhibited the activation of NF-κB in OA. Silencing BLNK delayed OA progression through the NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Silencing BLNK delayed OA progression and IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte injury by regulating the NF-κB pathway.

Montelukast attenuates interleukin IL-1ß-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in chondrocytes by inhibiting CYSLTR1 (Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptor 1) and activating KLF2 (Kruppel Like Factor 2).

Montelukast is a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) antagonist widely used to suppress the inflammatory response in asthma and allergic rhinitis. This study aimed to investigate the potential impacts of montelukast on osteoarthritis (OA) progression. To determine the role of montelukast in OA, the expression of CysLTR1 was first examined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot in IL-1ß-induced ATDC5 cells treated with or without montelukast. Subsequently, the impacts of montelukast on cell viability and oxidative stress were measured by Cell-Counting-Kit-8 (CCK-8), commercial kits and western blot. Oxidative stress-related protein expressions were determined by western blot analysis in Il-1ß-induced ATDC5 cells. Cell apoptosis and cartilage degradation were examined by TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay, western blot and RT-qPCR. KLF2 expression was measured in IL-1ß-induced ATDC5 cells treated with montelukast. After interference with small interfering RNA (siRNA)-KLF2 in ATDC5 cells, the loss-of-function assays were also performed in same ways. CysLTR1 expression was elevated in IL-1ß-induced ATDC5 cells but inhibited significantly by montelukast. Montelukast attenuated the oxidative stress and apoptosis, improved cell viability. Moreover, montelukast enhanced KLF2 expression. After transfected with siRNA-KLF2, montelukast attenuated cell injury, oxidative stress, apoptosis and cartilage degradation in IL-1ß-induced ATDC5 cells by activating KLF2.In summary, this work elaborates the evidence that montelukast could attenuate oxidative stress and apoptosis in IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes by inhibiting CysLTR1 and activating KLF2, which can guide the therapeutic strategies of montelukast for OA development in the future.

SNHG5 protects chondrocytes in interleukin-1ß-stimulated osteoarthritis via regulating miR-181a-5p/TGFBR3 axis.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been considered as important modulators in the development of osteoarthritis. The present study investigates whether there is a link between lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5) and osteoarthritis pathogenesis, and the underlying molecular mechanism. To establish an in vitro model of osteoarthritis, interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) was used to treat chondrocytes (C20/A4 cells) for mimicking the inflammatory condition in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. SNHG5 and miR-181a-5p expression levels were then detected in cartilage tissues of osteoarthritis patients and C20/A4 cells by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cell counting kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays were applied for detecting the viability of chondrocytes, and the apoptosis of chondrocytes was examined through caspase-3 activity assay and flow cytometry analysis. Western blot and qPCR were employed for determining the expression levels of TGFBR3, ADAMTS5, and MMP-13. The regulatory relationships among SNHG5, miR-181a-5p, and TGFBR3 were verified by RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The expression levels of SNHG5 and TGFBR3 were markedly decreased, and miR-181a-5p expression was enhanced in osteoarthritis tissues and chondrocytes treated with IL-1ß. SNHG5 knockdown inhibited the viability of chondrocytes, induced apoptosis, and promoted the expression levels of ADAMTS5 and MMP-13. Conversely, SNHG5 overexpression could counteract the effects of IL-1ß, increase the viability of chondrocytes and suppress apoptosis. Mechanically, SNHG5 positively regulated TGFBR3 expression via sponging miR-181a-5p. Moreover, miR-181a-5p overexpression and TGFBR3 knockdown counteracted the effects of SNHG5 on chondrocytes. SNHG5 can probably protect chondrocytes from the inflammatory response and reduce the degradation of the extracellular matrix via modulating the miR-181a-5p/TGFBR3 axis.

Protective Effects of a Hyaluronan-Binding Peptide (P15-1) on Mesenchymal Stem Cells in an Inflammatory Environment.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from various sources, including bone marrow, have been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for the improvement of tissue repair/regeneration, including the repair of cartilage defects or lesions. Often the highly inflammatory environment after injury or during diseases, however, greatly diminishes the therapeutic and reparative effectiveness of MSCs. Therefore, the identification of novel factors that can protect MSCs against an inflammatory environment may enhance the effectiveness of these cells in repairing tissues, such as articular cartilage. In this study, we investigated whether a peptide (P15-1) that binds to hyaluronan (HA), a major component of the extracellular matrix of cartilage, protects bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) in an inflammatory environment. The results showed that P15-1 reduced the mRNA levels of catabolic and inflammatory markers in interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß)-treated human BMSCs. In addition, P15-1 enhanced the attachment of BMSCs to HA-coated tissue culture dishes and stimulated the chondrogenic differentiation of the multipotential murine C3H/10T1/2 MSC line in a micromass culture. In conclusion, our findings suggest that P15-1 may increase the capacity of BMSCs to repair cartilage via the protection of these cells in an inflammatory environment and the stimulation of their attachment to an HA-containing matrix and chondrogenic differentiation.

Ultra-Low Dose Cytokines in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Three Birds with One Stone as the Rationale of the 2LARTH® Micro-Immunotherapy Treatment.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) are two cytokines involved in the perpetuation of the chronic inflammation state characterizing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Significant advances in the treatment of this pathology have been made over the past ten years, partially through the development of anti-TNF and anti-IL-1 therapies. However, major side effects still persist and new alternative therapies should be considered. The formulation of the micro-immunotherapy medicine (MIM) 2LARTH® uses ultra-low doses (ULD) of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-2, in association with other immune factors, to gently restore the body's homeostasis. The first part of this review aims at delineating the pivotal roles played by IL-1ß and TNF-α in RA physiopathology, leading to the development of anti-TNF and anti-IL-1 therapeutic agents. In a second part, an emphasis will be made on explaining the rationale of using multiple therapeutic targets, including both IL-1ß and TNF-α in 2LARTH® medicine. Particular attention will be paid to the ULD of those two main pro-inflammatory factors in order to counteract their overexpression through the lens of their molecular implication in RA pathogenesis.

Identification and validation of key long non-coding RNAs in resveratrol protect against IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes via integrated bioinformatic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in regulation of gene transcription, but little is known about the correlation among resveratrol and lncRNAs. This study aimed to identify and validate the key lncRNAs in resveratrol protect against IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes. METHODS: In this experiment, high-throughput sequencing technique was performed to identify the differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs between IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes with or not resveratrol. Moreover, gene ontology and KEGG pathway of the differentially expressed genes were carried out by R software. Then, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed by Cytoscape software. Venn diagram was performed to identify the potentially target miRNAs of LINC00654. Then, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to validate the most significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs. RESULTS: Totally, 1016 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified (493 downregulated) between control and resveratrol-treated chondrocytes. Totally, 75 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified (downregulated = 54, upregulated = 21). Totally, 3308 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified (downregulated = 1715, upregulated = 1593). GO (up) were as follows: skin development, response to organophosphorus. GO (down) mainly included visual perception, single fertilization, and sensory perception of smell. KEGG (up) were as follows: TNF signaling pathway and TGF-beta signaling pathway. KEGG (down) were as follows: viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor. We identified that LINC00654 and OGFRL1 were upregulated in resveratrol-treated chondrocytes. However, miR-210-5p was downregulated in resveratrol-treated chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: In sum, the present study for the first time detected the differential expressed lncRNAs involved in resveratrol-treated chondrocytes via employing bioinformatic methods.

Susceptibility of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1-deficient mice to rheumatoid arthritis arising from interleukin-1ß-induced inflammation.

We recently reported that cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) deficiency induces osteoarthritis susceptibility. Here, we determined the mechanism underlying the effect of p21 in synovial and cartilage tissues in RA. The knee joints of p21-knockout (p21-/-) (n = 16) and wild type C57BL/6 (p21+/+) mice (n = 16) served as in vivo models of collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA). Arthritis severity was evaluated by immunological and histological analyses. The response of p21 small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-treated human RA FLSs (n = 5 per group) to interleukin (IL)-1ß stimulation was determined in vitro. Arthritis scores were higher in p21-/- mice than in p21+/+ mice. More severe synovitis, earlier loss of Safranin-O staining, and cartilage destruction were observed in p21-/- mice compared to p21+/+ mice. p21-/- mice expressed higher levels of IL-1ß, TNF-α, F4/80, CD86, p-IKKα/ß, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in cartilage and synovial tissues via IL-1ß-induced NF-kB signaling. IL-1ß stimulation significantly increased IL-6, IL-8, and MMP expression, and enhanced IKKα/ß and IκBα phosphorylation in human FLSs. p21-deficient CAIA mice are susceptible to RA phenotype alterations, including joint cartilage destruction and severe synovitis. Therefore, p21 may have a regulatory role in inflammatory cytokine production including IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α.

MiR-24-3p attenuates IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte injury associated with osteoarthritis by targeting BCL2L12.

BACKGROUND: MiR-24-3p has been reported to be involved in an osteoarthritis (OA)-resembling environment. However, the functional role and underlying mechanism of miR-24-3p in chondrocyte injury associated with OA remains unknown. METHODS: The expression of miR-24-3p was determined using reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis in OA cases and control patients, as well as IL-1ß-stimulated chondrocyte cell line CHON-001. The cell viability was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. Apoptosis status was assessed by caspase-3 activity detection. The pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-18) were determined using ELISA assay. The association between miR-24-3p and B cell leukemia 2-like 12 (BCL2L12) was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: We first observed that miR-24-3p expression level was lower in the OA cases than in the control patients and IL-1ß decreased the expression of miR-24-3p in the chondrocyte CHON-001. Functionally, overexpression of miR-24-3p significantly attenuated IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte injury, as reflected by increased cell viability, decreased caspase-3 activity, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-18). Western blot analysis showed that overexpression of miR-24-3p weakened IL-1ß-induced cartilage degradation, as reflected by reduction of MMP13 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-13) and ADAMTS5 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5) protein expression, as well as markedly elevation of COL2A1 (collagen type II). Importantly, BCL2L12 was demonstrated to be a target of miR-24-3p. BCL2L12 knockdown imitated, while overexpression significantly abrogated the protective effects of miR-24-3p against IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte injury. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our work provides important insight into targeting miR-24-3p/BCL2L12 axis in OA therapy.

Circ-SPG11 knockdown hampers IL-1ß-induced osteoarthritis progression via targeting miR-337-3p/ADAMTS5.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is responsible for the impotent disability in old people. Circular RNA (circRNA) has been reported to be related to the development of diseases. The lack of research on the role of circRNA spastic paraplegia 11 (circ-SPG11) results in conducting this study. METHODS: The expression of circ-SPG11, microRNA-337-3p (miR-337-3p), and aggrecanases like a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5) mRNA was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation-related markers and ADAMTS5. Ribonuclease R (RNase R) was applied to test the stability of circ-SPG11 in CHON-001 cells. The viability, apoptosis, TNF-α and IL-6 production were determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Meanwhile, the interaction between miR-337-3p and circ-SPG11 or ADAMTS5 was respectively predicted by Circinteractome or Starbase2.0, which was further verified by dual-luciferase reporter system and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. RESULTS: Circ-SPG11 and ADAMTS5 were upregulated and miR-337-3p was downregulated in OA tissues and OA model cells. Circ-SPG11 knockdown allayed interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß)-induced restraint in viability and promotion in apoptosis, TNF-α, and IL-6 generation and ECM degradation in CHON-001 cells. Anti-miR-337-3p or ADAMTS5 overexpression correspondingly reversed si-circ-SPG11 or miR-337-3p overexpression-mediated facilitation in viability, and inhibition in apoptosis, TNF-α and IL-6 generation and ECM degradation in OA model cells. Moreover, anti-miR-337-3p ameliorated si-circ-SPG11-mediated inhibition in ADAMTS5 mRNA and protein expression in OA model cells. CONCLUSION: Circ-SPG11 facilitated OA development via regulating miR-337-3p/ADAMTS5 axis. This finding might contribute to the improvement of OA therapy.

Investigation of synovial fluid lubricants and inflammatory cytokines in the horse: a comparison of recombinant equine interleukin 1 beta-induced synovitis and joint lavage models.

BACKGROUND: Lameness is a debilitating condition in equine athletes that leads to more performance limitation and loss of use than any other medical condition. There are a limited number of non-terminal experimental models that can be used to study early inflammatory and synovial fluid biophysical changes that occur in the equine joint. Here, we compare the well-established carpal IL-1ß-induced synovitis model to a tarsal intra-articular lavage model, focusing on serial changes in synovial fluid inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the synovial fluid lubricating molecules lubricin/proteoglycan 4 and hyaluronic acid. The objectives of this study were to evaluate clinical signs; synovial membrane and synovial fluid inflammation; and synovial fluid lubricants and biophysical properties in response to carpal IL-1ß synovitis and tarsal intra-articular lavage. RESULTS: Hyaluronic acid (HA) concentrations, especially high molecular weight HA, and synovial fluid viscosity decreased after both synovitis and lavage interventions. Synovial fluid lubricin concentrations increased 17-20-fold for both synovitis and lavage models, with similar changes in both affected and contralateral joints, suggesting that repeated arthrocentesis alone resulted in elevated synovial fluid lubricin concentrations. Synovitis resulted in a more severe inflammatory response based on clinical signs (temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, lameness and joint effusion) and clinicopathological and biochemical parameters (white blood cell count, total protein, prostaglandin E2, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, tumor necrosis factor-α and CC chemokine ligands - 2, - 3, - 5 and - 11) as compared to lavage. CONCLUSIONS: Synovial fluid lubricin increased in response to IL-1ß synovitis and joint lavage but also as a result of repeated arthrocentesis. Frequent repeated arthrocentesis is associated with inflammatory changes, including increased sulfated glycosaminoglycan concentrations and decreased hyaluronic acid concentrations. Synovitis results in more significant inflammatory changes than joint lavage. Our data suggests that synovial fluid lubricin, TNF-α, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL11 and sGAG may be useful biomarkers for synovitis and post-lavage joint inflammation. Caution should be exercised when performing repeated arthrocentesis clinically or in experimental studies due to the inflammatory response and loss of HA and synovial fluid viscosity.