[Effect of interleukin  I receptor antigonist gene therapy on arthritis induced by type II collagen in mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene therapy on type II collagen induced arthritis in DBA/1 mice.


METHODS
Plasmid pcDI-IL-1ra that expresses IL-1ra in eukaryotes was constructed by inserting human IL-1ra cDNA into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDI. Eukaryotes were transfected with the plasmid pcDI-IL-1ra in vivo and in vitro. The expression of 8 IL-1ra was examined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Type II collagen was used to induced arthritis in 32 DBA/1 mice. This plasmid was injected into the muscles of DBA/1 mice with arthritis induced by type II collagen by gene gun (20 micro g/mouse) and into the muscle of 8 mice by intramuscular injection (200 micro g/mouse). After the administration, the condition of arthritis was observed. The serum IL-ira was examined 6 and 12 days after administration. The expression of IL-ira in muscles was tested by computerized imaging analysis.


RESULTS
PCR and DNA sequencing proved the accuracy of the inserted fragment. ELISA and immunohistochemistry detected high expression of IL-ira in vivo and in vitro. The absorbance ( A ) 490 value of IL-ira in the mouse muscle was 0.52 +/- 0.03 in gene gun group, and 0.48 +/- 0.02 in intramuscular injection group, all higher than that in the control group (0.41 +/- 0.02,P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). The serum IL-ira values in the gene gun group and in tramuscular injection group 6 days and 12 days after therapy were all significantly higher than that in the control group (all P < 0.01; and P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). Since the 6 th day after therapy, the redness and swelling of joints in both therapies groups were alleviated. Pathological examination made 12 days after therapy showed relief at different degrees of the infiltration of inflammatory cells, hyperplasia of synovia, bone infiltration, and cartilage destruction, especially in the gene gun group.


CONCLUSIONS
Gene therapy of IL-ira via non-virus eukaryotic expression vactor, especially by gene gun, is effective in treating arthritis induced by type II collagen.
Department of Rheumatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Gaoyun
G
Yang
Chunhui
C
Di
Ming
M
Jiang
Fang
F
Li
Yingmei
Y
Zhang
Lan
L
Yuan
Quansheng
Q
Song
Dalong
D
Ma
D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000628:therapy*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000276:immunology*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
D024043:Collagen Type II; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; C507764:Il1rn protein, mouse; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins