Wilforine inhibits rheumatoid arthritis pathology through the Wnt11/β-catenin signaling pathway axis

Wnt signaling pathways in biology and disease: mechanisms and therapeutic advances

The Wnt signaling pathway is critically involved in orchestrating cellular functions such as proliferation, migration, survival, and cell fate determination during development. Given its pivotal role in cellular communication, aberrant Wnt signaling has been extensively linked to the pathogenesis of various diseases. This review offers an in-depth analysis of the Wnt pathway, detailing its signal transduction mechanisms and principal components. Furthermore, the complex network of interactions between Wnt cascades and other key signaling pathways, such as Notch, Hedgehog, TGF-β, FGF, and NF-κB, is explored. Genetic mutations affecting the Wnt pathway play a pivotal role in disease progression, with particular emphasis on Wnt signaling's involvement in cancer stem cell biology and the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, this review underscores the diverse mechanisms through which Wnt signaling contributes to diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndromes, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Finally, a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic progress targeting Wnt signaling was given, and the latest progress in disease treatment targeting key components of the Wnt signaling pathway was summarized in detail, including Wnt ligands/receptors, β-catenin destruction complexes, and β-catenin/TCF transcription complexes. The development of small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and combination therapy strategies was emphasized, while the current potential therapeutic challenges were summarized. This aims to enhance the current understanding of this key pathway.

The emerging role of vascular endothelial cell-mediated angiogenesis in the imbalance of RA synovial microenvironment and its clinical relevance

Vascular endothelial cells (VEC) play a key role in the occurrence and progression of vascular inflammation. VEC activation secretes powerful inflammatory mediators and aggravates the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Angiogenesis plays a key role in the pathological processes of inflammation and synovial infiltration, driving RA progression. A substantial amount of evidence suggests that the VEC at the inflammatory site of RA is both an active participant and a regulator of the inflammatory process. At present, the research progress of VEC and inflammation in RA is still incomplete. In this review, we summarize the role of VEC and angiogenesis in the development of RA, describe the relevant cells, cytokines and signaling pathways involved in regulation, and provide research clues on the role of post-translational modification (PTMs) in VEC function and angiogenesis in RA, and classify and integrate these mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. This review aims to synthesize current evidence to support the established link between VEC and RA-related pathology, provide a theoretical basis for clinical studies, and provide valuable insights into the development of therapeutic drugs against RA.

Clematichinenoside AR alleviates rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting synovial angiogenesis through the HIF-1α/VEGFA/ANG2 axis

BACKGROUND

Clematichinenoside AR (CAR) is an effective monomer component of Clematis chinensis Osbeck, which has therapeutic effects on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but its specific mechanism is still not fully elucidated.

PURPOSE

This study elucidated whether CAR alleviated RA by inhibiting synovial angiogenesis and revealed its molecular mechanism.

METHODS

Arthritis indicators and H&E staining were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of CAR on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats, and the IHC, IF, EdU-Hoechst, tunel, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assay were used to investigate the effects of CAR on synovial angiogenesis. The co-culture model of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was established. Tube formation, western blot, RT-qPCR and other related methods were used to evaluate the specific mechanism of CAR.

RESULTS

CAR alleviated arthritis pathology and inhibited angiogenesis in CIA rats. CAR inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of RA FLSs, and promoted their apoptosis. Importantly, overexpression of HIF-1α inversed the inhibitory impact of CAR on the expression of HIF-1α, VEGFA, VEGFR2, and ANG2, as well as the inhibitory effects of CAR on the expression of CD31/34 and the HUVEC tube formation. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and experimental verification confirmed that CAR has a strong binding affinity with HIF-1α, further indicating that HIF-1α was a target of CAR for anti-angiogenesis.

CONCLUSION

CAR had a good inhibitory effect on RA, and its mechanism was inhibition of synovial angiogenesis through the HIF-1α/VEGF/ANG2 axis.

GSK3-Driven Modulation of Inflammation and Tissue Integrity in the Animal Model

Nowadays, GSK3 is accepted as an enzyme strongly involved in the regulation of inflammation by balancing the pro- and anti-inflammatory responses of cells and organisms, thus influencing the initiation, progression, and resolution of inflammatory processes at multiple levels. Disturbances within its broad functional scope, either intrinsically or extrinsically induced, harbor the risk of profound disruptions to the regular course of the immune response, including the formation of severe inflammation-related diseases. Therefore, this review aims at summarizing and contextualizing the current knowledge derived from animal models to further shape our understanding of GSK3α and β and their roles in the inflammatory process and the occurrence of tissue/organ damage. Following a short recapitulation of structure, function, and regulation of GSK3, we will focus on the lessons learned from GSK3α/β knock-out and knock-in/overexpression models, both conventional and conditional, as well as a variety of (predominantly rodent) disease models reflecting defined pathologic conditions with a significant proportion of inflammation and inflammation-related tissue injury. In summary, the literature suggests that GSK3 acts as a crucial switch driving pro-inflammatory and destructive processes and thus contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of inflammation-associated diseases.

Gollop-Wolfgang Complex Is Associated with a Monoallelic Variation in WNT11

Gollop-Wolfgang complex (GWC) is a rare congenital limb anomaly characterized by tibial aplasia with femur bifurcation, ipsilateral bifurcation of the thigh bone, and split hand and monodactyly of the feet, resulting in severe and complex limb deformities. The genetic basis of GWC, however, has remained elusive. We studied a three-generation family with four GWC-affected family members. An analysis of whole-genome sequencing results using a custom pipeline identified the WNT11 c.1015G>A missense variant associated with the phenotype. In silico modelling and an in vitro reporter assay further supported the link between the variant and GWC. This finding further contributes to mapping the genetic heterogeneity underlying split hand/foot malformations in general and in GWC specifically.