Abstract

Macrophage-like synoviocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) are known as the most active cells of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are close to the articular cartilage in a position enabling them to invade the cartilage. Macrophage-like synoviocytes and FLS expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their interaction has aroused great interest. The present article studied the expression of CD147, also called extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, on monocytes/macrophages and FLS from RA patients and its potential role in enhancing MMPs and the invasiveness of synoviocytes. Expression of CD147 on FLS derived from RA patients and from osteoarthritis patients, and expression of CD147 on monocytes/macrophages from rheumatic synovial fluid and healthy peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of CD147, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA in FLS were detected by RT-PCR. The role of CD147 in MMP production and the cells' invasiveness in vitro were studied by the co-culture of FLS with the human THP-1 cell line or monocytes/macrophages, by gel zymography and by invasion assay. The results showed that the expression of CD147 was higher on RA FLS than on osteoarthritis FLS and was higher on monocytes/macrophages from rheumatic synovial fluid than on monocytes/macrophages from healthy peripheral blood. RT-PCR showed that the expressions of CD147, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA was higher in RA FLS than in osteoarthritis FLS. A significantly elevated secretion and activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed in RA FLS co-cultured with differentiated THP-1 cells or RA synovial monocytes/macrophages, compared with those co-cultured with undifferentiated THP-1 cells or healthy control peripheral blood monocytes. Invasion assays showed an increased number of invading cells in the co-cultured RA FLS with differentiated THP-1 cells or RA synovial monocytes/macrophages. CD147 antagonistic peptide inhibited the MMP production and the invasive potential. Our studies demonstrated that the CD147 overexpression on monocytes/macrophages and FLS in RA patients may be responsible for the enhanced MMP secretion and activation and for the invasiveness of synoviocytes. These findings suggest that CD147 may be one of the important factors in progressive joint destruction of RA and that CD147 may be a potential therapeutic target in RA treatment.

Highlights

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic proliferative synovitis, with hyperplasia of the synovial lining cells, inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenesis in the sublining cell layer

  • Our studies demonstrated that the CD147 overexpression on monocytes/macrophages and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may be responsible for the enhanced matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) secretion and activation and for the invasiveness of synoviocytes

  • The results indicated that the expressions of CD147, MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA were higher in RA FLS than those in OA FLS (Figure 1a,b)

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Summary

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic proliferative synovitis, with hyperplasia of the synovial lining cells, inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenesis in the sublining cell layer. Hyperplastic synovial lining cells overproduce such matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP3, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP, which may be involved in tissue remodeling during angiogenesis and cartilage destruction. As macrophagelike synoviocytes (MLS) and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) are known as the most active cells and are close to the articular cartilage in a position to invade the cartilage, their expresbp = base pairs; DMEM = Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; EDTA = ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid; FBS = fetal bovine serum; FLS = fibroblast-like synoviocytes; H & E = hematoxylin and eosin; IL = interleukin; MFI = mean fluorescence intensity; MLS = macrophage-like synoviocytes; MMP = matrix metalloproteinase; OA = osteoarthritis; PBS = phosphate-buffered saline; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; PMA = phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; RA = rheumatoid arthritis; RT = reverse transcriptase.

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