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Iqbal Z, Xia J, Murtaza G, Shabbir M, Rehman K, Yujie L, Duan L. Targeting WNT signalling pathways as new therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis. J Drug Target 2023; 31:1027-1049. [PMID: 37969105 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2281861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent chronic joint disease and the leading cause of disability. Currently, no drugs are available to control joint damage or ease the associated pain. The wingless-type (WNT) signalling pathway is vital in OA progression. Excessive activation of the WNT signalling pathway is pertinent to OA progression and severity. Therefore, agonists and antagonists of the WNT pathway are considered potential drug candidates for OA treatment. For example, SM04690, a novel small molecule inhibitor of WNT signalling, has demonstrated its potential in a recent phase III clinical trial as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD). Therefore, targeting the WNT signalling pathway may be a distinctive approach to developing particular agents helpful in treating OA. This review aims to update the most recent progress in OA drug development by targeting the WNT pathway. In this, we introduce WNT pathways and their crosstalk with other signalling pathways in OA development and highlight the role of the WNT signalling pathway as a key regulator in OA development. Several articles have reviewed the Wnt pathway from different aspects. This candid review provides an introduction to WNT pathways and their crosstalk with other signalling pathways in OA development, highlighting the role of the WNT signalling pathway as a key regulator in OA development with the latest research. Particularly, we emphasise the state-of-the-art in targeting the WNT pathway as a promising therapeutic approach for OA and challenges in their development and the nanocarrier-based delivery of WNT modulators for treating OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Iqbal
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Orthopedic Technology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiang Xia
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ghulam Murtaza
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Pakistan
| | - Maryam Shabbir
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore Campus, Pakistan
| | - Khurrum Rehman
- Department of Allied health sciences, The University of Agriculture, D.I.Khan, Pakistan
| | - Liang Yujie
- Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Li Duan
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Orthopedic Technology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Cheng L, Huang C, Li M, Shang S, Chen J, Tang Z. Chonggu Granules Improve Cartilage Matrix Metabolism in Knee Osteoarthritis via the miR-148a-3p/Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:4751-4762. [PMID: 37881649 PMCID: PMC10596237 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s428582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of Chonggu Granules (CGG) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in rats. Methods A papain-induced KOA model was established in rats. The pathological alterations of extracellular matrix in rat cartilage tissues were observed through hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, followed by Mankin score for quantitative scoring. The ultrastructure of cartilage extracellular matrix was examined under a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ELISA was used to measure the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in rat serum. Immunofluorescence was performed for assessing the levels of MMP-3, MMP-13, and Col2al in rat cartilage. Western blot was used to identify the protein expressions of wnt1, GSK-3β, β-catenin, and Aggrecan in rat cartilage. The mRNA relative expressions of miR-148a-3p, wnt1, β-catenin, and GSK-3β in rat cartilage were detected by RT-PCR. Luciferase reporter gene was used to detect the target genes of miR-148a-3p. Results CGG significantly improved articular cartilage tissue and extracellular matrix metabolism compared to the model group as indicated by H&E, Mankin score, and TEM data. Moreover, low, medium, and high doses of CGG reduced the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP-3, and MMP-13 in serum to varying degrees but increased the levels of Col2al and Aggrecan. Mechanistically, CGG targeted wnt1 by increasing the expression of miR-148a-3p in a dose-dependent manner, thereby downregulating the mRNA and protein expressions of β-catenin in cartilage tissue and upregulating the mRNA and protein expressions of GSK-3β. Conclusion CGG may control the miR-148a-3p/wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to decrease the levels of its downstream target genes MMP-13 and MMP-3, increase the expressions of Col2al and Aggrecan, and downregulate the contents of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, thereby improving the metabolism of cartilage extracellular matrix and alleviating the degeneration of articular cartilage in KOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Cheng
- The First Clinical Medical College, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chuanbing Huang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuangshuang Shang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junjie Chen
- The First Clinical Medical College, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhongfu Tang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230038, People’s Republic of China
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Cheng J, Li M, Bai R. The Wnt signaling cascade in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and related promising treatment strategies. Front Physiol 2022; 13:954454. [PMID: 36117702 PMCID: PMC9479192 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.954454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent joint disease, characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage, synovial inflammation, and changes in periarticular and subchondral bone. Recent studies have reported that Wnt signaling cascades play an important role in the development, growth, and homeostasis of joints. The Wnt signaling cascade should be tightly regulated to maintain the homeostasis of cartilage in either the over-activation or the suppression of Wnt/β-catenin, as this could lead to OA. This review summarizes the role and mechanism of canonical Wnt cascade and noncanonical Wnt cascade experiments in vivo and in vitro. The Wnt cascade is controlled by several agonists and antagonists in the extracellular medium and the cytoplasm. These antagonists and agonists serve as key molecules in drug intervention into the Wnt pathway and may provide potential approaches for the treatment of OA. However, the complexity of the Wnt signaling cascade and the pharmaceutical effects on its mechanism are still not fully understood, which forces us to conduct further research and develop efficient therapeutic approaches to treat OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinchao Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xuancheng Central Hospital, Xuancheng, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xuancheng Central Hospital, Xuancheng, China
| | - Ruijun Bai
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Ruijun Bai,
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Wnt3a knockdown promotes collagen type II expression in rat chondrocytes. Exp Ther Med 2022; 24:526. [PMID: 35837029 PMCID: PMC9257960 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition caused by cartilage degradation, and there are currently no effective methods for preventing the progression of this disease; gene therapy is a relatively novel method for treating arthritis. Decreased collagen type II (Col2) expression within the cartilage matrix is an important factor for the development of OA, and Wnt3a serves a significant role in cartilage homeostasis. The present study assessed whether Wnt3a knockdown promoted Col2 expression in chondrocytes. Lentivirus-introduced small interfering RNA was used to knock down the expression of Wnt3a in primary rat chondrocytes, and then IL-1β treatment was used to establish an OA chondrocyte model. The expression of target genes (Wnt3a, Col2, MMP-13 and β-catenin) was analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry. There was significantly less MMP-13 and β-catenin expression in the Wnt3a knockdown cells compared with the other controls. Col2 expression was significantly higher in the Wnt3a-knockdown cells compared with the control cells, indicating that knockdown of Wnt3a may promote Col2 expression. Consequently, Wnt3a was indicated to be an important factor in cartilage homeostasis, and Wnt3a knockdown may serve as a novel method for OA therapy.
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Liang F, Peng L, Ma YG, Hu W, Zhang WB, Deng M, Li YM. Bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation of differentially expressed genes in mouse articular chondrocytes treated with IL-1β using microarray data. Exp Ther Med 2022; 23:6. [PMID: 34815758 PMCID: PMC8593859 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic degenerative disease that affects the health of the elderly. The present study aimed to identify significant genes involved in OA via bioinformatics analysis. A gene expression dataset (GSE104793) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Bioinformatics analysis was then performed in order to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between untreated chondrocytes and chondrocytes cultured with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) for 24 h. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using Metascape. A protein-protein interaction network of DEGs was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using GSEA software. Furthermore, chondrocytes were extracted and treated with IL-1β (10 ng/ml) for 24 h, and reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was used to confirm differential expression of hub genes. Patient samples were also collected to verify the bioinformatic analysis results. Based on the cut-off criteria used for determination of the DEGs, a total of 844 DEGs, including 498 upregulated and 346 downregulated DEGs, were identified. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the GO terms and KEGG pathways 'inflammatory response', 'negative regulation of cell proliferation', 'ossification', 'taxis', 'blood vessel morphogenesis', 'extracellular structure organization', 'mitotic cell cycle process' and 'TNF signaling pathway'. The majority of the PCR results, namely the differential expression of kininogen 2, complement C3, cyclin B1, cell division cycle 20, cyclin A2, 1-phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase, kinesin family member 11, cyclin B2 and BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase B were consistent with the bioinformatics results. Collectively, the present observations provided a regulation network of IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes, which may provide potential targets of OA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Liang
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Le Peng
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Gang Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Bing Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Ming Deng
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Ming Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
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Wang P, Ye Y, Yuan W, Tan Y, Zhang S, Meng Q. Curcumin exerts a protective effect on murine knee chondrocytes treated with IL-1β through blocking the NF-κB/HIF-2α signaling pathway. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:940. [PMID: 34350255 PMCID: PMC8263872 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-2701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by erosion and degradation of articular cartilage. This study assessed the effects of curcumin on mouse knee cartilage chondrocytes. Methods Chondrocytes were treated for 24 hours with interleukin IL-1β (10 ng/mL) alone, or the combination of curcumin (10, 20, and 50 µM) and IL-1β. The proliferation, viability, and cytotoxicity of the chondrocytes were evaluated by the MTS assay. Expression of SOX9, AGG, Col2α, MMP9, ADAMTS5, COX2, iNOS, pIκB-α, pNF-κB, and hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) were detected by western blotting or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). Nuclear translocation of NF-κB and HIF-2α were investigated by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. In in vivo experiments, mice were subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) and given curcumin orally for 6 weeks. Cartilage integrity was evaluated by OARSI (Osteoarthritic Research Society International) scores. Results Curcumin significantly inhibited the IL-1β-induced reduction of cell viability, degradation of ECM, and the expression of SOX9, Col2α, and AGG (P<0.01). Western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrated that curcumin dramatically inhibited the activation of NF-κB/HIF-2α in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β (P<0.01). The articular scores were significantly lower in the DMM-induced OA mice compared to OA mice treated with curcumin (P<0.01). Conclusions Curcumin may have the potential to inhibit OA development, partly through suppressing the activation of the NF-κB/HIF-2α pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhen Wang
- Guangzhou Institute of Traumatic Surgery, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanchen Ye
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanping Tan
- Department of Neurology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoheng Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingqi Meng
- Guangzhou Institute of Traumatic Surgery, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Wei Z, Dong C, Guan L, Wang Y, Huang J, Wen X. A metabolic exploration of the protective effect of Ligusticum wallichii on IL-1β-injured mouse chondrocytes. Chin Med 2020; 15:12. [PMID: 32025239 PMCID: PMC6995652 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-020-0295-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a metabolic disorder and able to be relieved by traditional Chinese medicines. However, the effect of Ligusticum wallichii on OA is unknown. Methods Cytokine IL-1β and L. wallichii extracts were used to stimulate the primary mouse chondrocytes. MTT assay was used to measure the cell viability. The mRNA and protein level of each gene were test by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The rate of apoptotic cell was measured by flow cytometry. GC/MS-based metabolomics was utilized to characterize the variation of metabolome. Results Here, we found that L. wallichii attenuated the IL-1β-induced apoptosis, inflammatory response, and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in mouse chondrocytes. Then we used GC/MS-based metabolomics to characterize the variation of metabolomes. The established metabolic profile of mouse chondrocytes showed that the abundance of most metabolites (n = 40) altered by IL-1β stimulation could be repressed by L. wallichii treatment. Multivariate data analysis identified that cholesterol, linoleic acid, hexadecandioic acid, proline, l-valine, l-leucine, pyruvate, palmitic acid, and proline are the most key biomarkers for understanding the metabolic role of L. wallichii in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Further pathway analysis using these metabolites enriched fourteen metabolic pathways, which were dramatically changed in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes and capable of being reprogrammed by L. wallichii incubation. These enriched pathways were involved in carbon metabolisms, fatty acid biosynthesis, and amino acid metabolisms. Conclusions These findings provide potential clues that metabolic strategies are linked to protective mechanisms of L. wallichii treatment in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes and emphasize the importance of metabolic strategies against inflammatory responses in OA development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Wei
- 1Orthopaedics Department, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Bejing, 100078 China
| | - Chunjiao Dong
- Cardiology & Neurology Department, Beijing TongRen Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Bejing, 100051 China
| | - Liping Guan
- Intensive Care Unit, Huimin Hospital of Beijing, Bejing, 100013 China
| | - Yafei Wang
- 1Orthopaedics Department, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Bejing, 100078 China
| | - Jianghai Huang
- 1Orthopaedics Department, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Bejing, 100078 China
| | - Xinzhu Wen
- 1Orthopaedics Department, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Bejing, 100078 China
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