Methotrexate Plus Electroacupuncture Reduces Autophagy in Ankle Synovial Tissue in Rats with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Overview

Journal Am J Transl Res

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 May 16

PMID 37193149

Authors

Jianbin Sun

Wendi Zhai

Zheng Wang

Weijun An

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the effect of methotrexate combined with electroacupuncture on autophagy in the ankle synovial tissue in rats modeled with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: A rat model of rheumatoid arthritis was constructed by Freund's complete adjuvant injection. The animals were then randomly grouped into the methotrexate + electroacupuncture, methotrexate, electroacupuncture, and model groups. The left hindfoot plantar volume, histopathological morphology of the ankle joint synovium, and autophagy-related genes were detected and compared after the intervention.

Results: In comparison with the model group, significantly reduced plantar volume and mRNA and protein levels of autophagy-related gene (Atg) 3, Atg5, Atg12, unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), Beclin1, and light chain 3 (LC3), as well as alleviated synovial hyperplasia were identified in the methotrexate and electroacupuncture groups. The improvement in the above indicators was more pronounced in the methotrexate + electroacupuncture group.

Conclusions: By inhibiting autophagosome formation, both methotrexate and electroacupuncture inhibit synovial cell autophagy, alleviate synovial cell hyperautophagy, and relieve abnormal synovial hyperplasia, thus exerting a protective effect on the joint synovium. The combination of treatment with methotrexate and electroacupuncture works best.

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Fu W, Cao Y, Liu J, Huang C, Shu K, Zhu N Drug Des Devel Ther. 2024; 18:2421-2433.

PMID: 38915862 PMC: 11195676. DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S456783.

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