Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition, an autoimmune disease that affects the joints, and a multifactorial disease that results from interactions between environmental, genetic, and personal and lifestyle factors. This study was designed to assess the effects of curcumin, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), and their coadministration on complete Freund's adjuvant- (CFA-) induced arthritis in male and female albino rats. Parameters including swelling of the joint, blood indices of pro-/antioxidant status, cytokines and histopathological examination of joints, and testis and ovary were investigated. RA was induced by a single dose of subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mL CFA into a footpad of the right hind leg of rats. Arthritic rats were treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg b.wt./day) by oral gavage for 21 days and/or treated with three weekly intravenous injections of BM-MSCs (1 × 106 cells/rat/week) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The treatment with curcumin and BM-MSCs singly or together significantly (P < 0.05) improved the bioindicators of oxidative stress and nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in sera of female rats more than in those of males. Curcumin and BM-MSCs significantly (P < 0.05) improved the elevated TNF-α level and the lowered IL-10 level in the arthritic rats. Furthermore, joint, testis, and ovary histological changes were remarkably amended as a result of treatment with curcumin and BM-MSCs. Thus, it can be concluded that both curcumin and BM-MSCs could have antiarthritic efficacies as well as protective effects to the testes and ovaries which may be mediated via their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory potentials as well as oxidative stress modulatory effects.
Highlights
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most severe destructive inflammatory arthritis
The complete Freund’s adjuvant- (CFA-)induced arthritic male and female rats exhibited a significant increase in the hind paw edema at day 21 as compared with the normal group
The groups of the arthritic male and female rats treated with curcumin, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), and their combination showed a significant amelioration of the elevated values of paw edema as compared to the arthritic animals and the values returned to nearly normal (Table 2)
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most severe destructive inflammatory arthritis. It is a chronic autoimmune condition through which nonsuppurative proliferative synovitis contributes to destruction of the articular cartilage and bone resulting in multiple joint inflammation. The severity of the disease ranges from person to person, with joint damage varying from mild pain and irritation to severe inflammation. RA affects joint pairs (two hands, two feet) and can affect small joints in wrists and hands. Many joints such as knees, elbows, shoulders, feet, and ankles can be affected over time and deformity occurs.
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