Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in antihypertensive drug users

Enalapril attenuated CFA provoked arthritic manifestation by modulating proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine network

Enalapril with documented anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated in current investigation to explore its anti-arthritic efficacy. For anti-arthritic evaluation of enalapril, CFA-instigated arthritic model was employed after which various parameters comprising paw volume, body weight, arthritic index, hematological and biochemical parameters, radiographic analysis and level of various cytokines were estimated. Enalapril demonstrated significant (p˂0.001) anti-arthritic activity by suppressing paw volume, arthritic index while preserved CFA instigated weight loss. Likewise, enalapril also normalized the hematological and biochemical alterations, suppressed the level of proinflammatory cytokines with elevation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Radiographic and histopathological analysis also further validates the anti-arthritic attribute of enalapril where enalapril preserved the normal architecture of arthritis induced joints. Outcomes of the study pointed out a notable anti-arthritic activity of enalapril. However detailed mechanistic studies are still required to point out the exact mechanism of action.

The role of renin angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), chronic inflammatory processes lead to progresive joint destruction. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is involved in the pathogenesis of RA and OA. The aim of this mini-review article is to summarize evidence on the role of RAS in RA and OA.

METHODS

A non-systematic search in Pubmed included terms as "rheumatoid arthritis", "renin angiotensin system", "osteopenia", "RANKL", "DKK-1", "MMP", "inflammation", "angiogenesis", "local renin-angiotensin system", "angiotensin converting enzyme", "AT2 receptor", "Ang-(1-7)", "VEGF", "angiotensine receptor blocker", "angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors", "renin inhibitors".

RESULTS

Both RAS axes, the classical one, formed by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin (Ang) II and AT1 receptor (AT1R) and the counter-regulatory one, composed by ACE2, Ang-(1-7) and the Mas receptor, modulate inflammation and tissue damage. Ang II activates pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress. Conversely, Ang-(1-7) exerts anti-inflammatory actions, decreasing cytokine release, leukocyte attraction, density of vessels, tissue damage and fibrosis. Angiogenesis facilitates inflammatory cells invasion, while osteopenia causes joint dysfunction. Up-regulated osteoclastogenisis and down-regulated osteoblastogeneses were associaed with the activation of the classical RAS axis. Three different pathways, RANKL, DKK-1 and MMPs are enhanced by classical RAS activation. The treatment of RA included methotrexate and corticosteroids, which can cause side effects. Studies with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and renin inhibitors have been conducted in experimental and clinical RA with promising results.

CONCLUSION

The classical RAS activation is an important mechanism in RA pathogenesis and the benefit of ARB and ACEi administration should be further investigated.

Angiotensin-Inhibiting Drugs Do Not Impact Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Besides their proven effectivity in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular events, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) are likely to possess anti-inflammatory properties as well. This study aims to investigate whether the use of ACEi and ARBs additionally lowers disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we used ARBs or ACEi to study RA patients who had at least one DAS28-CRP measurement during a one-year period. A control group of RA patients without ACEi/ARBs was randomly selected. The primary outcome was the difference between the DAS28-CRP scores of ACEi/ARBs users and controls. The secondary outcomes were the differences between administered dosages of csDMARDs and bDMARDs for users and controls, respectively; these were expressed in defined daily dose (DDD). Confounders were included in the multiple regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 584 ACEi/ARBs users and 552 controls were finally examined. Multiple linear regression analyses showed no association between the use of ACEi or ARBs and the DAS28-CRP scores (ACEi factor 1.00, 95% CI 0.94-1.06; ARBs 1.02, 95% CI 0.96-1.09), nor with the dosage of csDMARDs (ACEi 0.97, 95% CI 0.89-1.07; ARBs 0.99, 95% CI 0.90-1.10). Furthermore, the use of ACEi was not associated with reduced dosages of bDMARDs (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.79-1.64), whereas ARBs users tended to use less bDMARDs (1.46, 95% CI 0.98-2.18, p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the use of either ACEi or ARBs in RA patients had no impact on disease activity as measured by the DAS28-CRP. A trend towards lower bDMARD dosages was observed in ARBs users, but the significance of this finding is still unclear.

Losartan, but not Enalapril and Valsartan, Inhibits the Expression of IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17F and IL-22 in PBMCs from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Background:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic and inflammatory disease that affects about 1% of the world's population. Almost 70% of RA patients have a cardiovascular disease such as Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH). Inflammatory cytokines are clearly involved in the pathogenesis of RA and correlated with SAH.

Objective:

It is necessary to understand whether the antihypertensive drugs have a dual effect as immunomodulators and which one is the best choice for RA SAH patients.

Methods:

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from 16 RA patients were purified and stimulated or not stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAB and were treated with Enalapril, Losartan and Valsartan at 100μM. Patients were evaluated for clinical and laboratory variables including measures of disease activity by Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Cytokines were quantified by ELISA sandwich.

Results:

Losartan was able to reduce levels of IFN-γ (p = 0.0181), IL-6 (p = 0.0056), IL-17F (0.0046) and IL-22 (p = 0.0234) in RA patients. In addition, patients in remission and mild score (DAS28<3.2 and CDAI<10) had a better response to treatment. On the other hand, patients in moderate and severe activity had poor response to Losartan in cytokine inhibition.

Conclusion:

PBMCs from RA patients are responsive in inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines using Losartan better than Enalapril and Valsartan and it could be a better antihypertensive choice for patients with RA and systemic arterial hypertension treatment.

Cardiovascular involvement in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases (AD) represent a broad spectrum of chronic conditions that may afflict specific target organs or multiple systems with a significant burden on quality of life. These conditions have common mechanisms including genetic and epigenetics factors, gender disparity, environmental triggers, pathophysiological abnormalities, and certain subphenotypes. Atherosclerosis (AT) was once considered to be a degenerative disease that was an inevitable consequence of aging. However, research in the last three decades has shown that AT is not degenerative or inevitable. It is an autoimmune-inflammatory disease associated with infectious and inflammatory factors characterized by lipoprotein metabolism alteration that leads to immune system activation with the consequent proliferation of smooth muscle cells, narrowing arteries, and atheroma formation. Both humoral and cellular immune mechanisms have been proposed to participate in the onset and progression of AT. Several risk factors, known as classic risk factors, have been described. Interestingly, the excessive cardiovascular events observed in patients with ADs are not fully explained by these factors. Several novel risk factors contribute to the development of premature vascular damage. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of how traditional and nontraditional risk factors contribute to pathogenesis of CVD in AD.

Fimasartan, anti-hypertension drug, suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase expressions via nuclear factor-kappa B and activator protein-1 inactivation

Since inhibition of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor reduces chronic inflammation associated with hypertension, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory potential and the underlying mechanism of fimasartan, a Korean Food and Drug Administration approved anti-hypertension drug, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Fimasartan suppressed the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by down-regulating its transcription, and subsequently inhibited the productions of nitric oxide (NO). In addition, fimasartan attenuated LPS-induced transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1). These reductions were accompanied by parallel reductions in the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and AP-1. Taken together, our data suggest that fimasartan down-regulates the expression of the iNOS in macrophages via NF-κB and AP-1 inactivation.

Ramipril attenuates lipid peroxidation and cardiac fibrosis in an experimental model of rheumatoid arthritis

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies revealed that co-morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease are increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but little is known about factors involved in these manifestations. This study aimed at characterizing the impact of arthritis on oxidative stress status and tissue fibrosis in the heart of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA).

METHODS

AIA was induced with complete Freund's adjuvant in female Lewis rats. Animals were treated by oral administration of vehicle or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (10 mg/kg/day) for 28 days, beginning 1 day after arthritis induction. Isolated adult cardiomyocytes were exposed to 10 μM 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) for 24 hours in the presence or absence of 10 μM ramipril.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, AIA rats showed significant 55 and 30% increase of 4-HNE/protein adducts in serum and left ventricular (LV) tissues, respectively. Cardiac mitochondrial NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase (mNADP-ICDH) activity decreased by 25% in AIA rats without any changes in its protein and mRNA expression. The loss of mNADP-ICDH activity was correlated with enhanced accumulation of HNE/mNADP-ICDH adducts as well as with decrease of glutathione and NADPH. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) expression and tissue fibrosis were induced in LV tissues from AIA rats. In isolated cardiomyocytes, HNE significantly decreased mNADP-ICDH activity and enhanced type I collagen and connective tissue growth factor expression. The oral administration of ramipril significantly reduced HNE and AT1R levels and restored mNADP-ICDH activity and redox status in LV tissues of AIA rats. The protective effects of this drug were also evident from the decrease in arthritis scoring and inflammatory markers.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our findings disclosed that AIA induced oxidative stress and fibrosis in the heart. The fact that ramipril attenuates inflammation, oxidative stress and tissue fibrosis may provide a novel strategy to prevent heart diseases in RA.