Rapamycin suppresses rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast synovial cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via the AKT/mTORC1 pathway

Author:

Zhang Shengxiao123,Hu Xiaorong23,Su Qinyi123,Zhang Heyi23,Cheng Ting123,Wang Jia123,Pei Ruomeng234,Li Xin235ORCID,Zhang Ruqi236,Shao Hongfang123,Wang Caihong123,Li Xiaofeng123

Affiliation:

1. Department of Rheumatology The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University Taiyuan Shanxi China

2. Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Rheumatism Immune Microecology Taiyuan Shanxi China

3. Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University Ministry of Education Taiyuan Shanxi China

4. Clinical Laboratory Shenzhen Bao'an Maternal and Child Health Hospital Shenzhen Guangdong China

5. Center for Endocrine Metabolism and Immune Diseases, Beijing Luhe Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China

6. Department of Information Management The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University Taiyuan Shanxi China

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the overproliferation of synovial fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLSs) in the lining, leading to chronic inflammation and progressive joint damage. RA pathogenesis involves lymphocyte infiltration, increased synovial cell proliferation, and impaired cell death. This study investigated the effects of rapamycin on RA‐FLSs and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms.MethodsThe optimal drug concentration and time for rapamycin administration were determined using a cell counting kit‐8 assay. The concentration of rapamycin varied from 1 to 25 nmol/L. The mRNA expression levels of protein kinase B (AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2), and Bcl‐2‐associated X protein (Bax) were quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression (p‐AKT, AKT, p‐mTOR, mTOR, pS6 kinase [S6K], S6K, p‐4E‐binding protein 1 [4EBP1], 4EBP1, Bcl‐2, Bax, caspase 3, caspase 9, cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 [CDK2], and CD1) were detected by Western blotting analysis.ResultsRapamycin suppresses RA‐FLS proliferation and induces apoptosis in a dose‐dependent manner. Rapamycin significantly elevated the protein expression of Bax (p < 0.01), caspase 3 (p < 0.05), and caspase 9 (p < 0.001), and downregulated Bcl‐2 expression (p < 0.01). Rapamycin increased Bax mRNA expression (p < 0.01) and decreased Bcl‐2 (p < 0.05), AKT (p < 0.05), and mTOR (p < 0.05) expression. Additionally, there was a marked reduction in the expression levels of p‐AKT(Ser473) (p < 0.01), p‐mTOR (Ser2448) (p < 0.01), p‐S6K1 (p < 0.01), and p‐4EBP1, CDK2, and CD1 (p < 0.01).ConclusionsRapamycin effectively inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of RA‐FLSs by targeting the AKT/mTORC1 pathway. These findings underscore the potential of rapamycin as a therapeutic candidate for addressing the dysregulated proliferation and inflammatory characteristics of RA. Further clinical investigations are required to validate its application in the management of RA.

Funder

Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province

National Natural Science Foundation of China

Publisher

Wiley

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