Suppressive effect of leflunomide metabolite (A77 1726) on metalloproteinase production in IL-1beta stimulated rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts.
Leflunomide, an isoxazol derivative structurally unrelated to other immunomodulatory drugs, has proven to be efficacious in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was conducted to elucidate the mechanism by which leflunomide mediated antirheumatic effects. We investigated the effects of A77 1726, leflunomide's active metabolite, on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in IL-1beta-stimulated rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts. The effects of A77 1726 on the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) from rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts were also examined. A77 1726 partially suppressed IL-1beta-induced ERK1/2 and p38 kinase activation. In contrast, A77 1726 efficiently suppressed IL-1beta-stimulated JNK1/2 kinase activation. Although no suppressive effect was demonstrated on MMP-2, A77 1726 markedly inhibited MMP-1, 3, and 13 secretions from IL-1beta-stimulated rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) was constitutively produced from rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts and the suppressive effects of A77 1726 on TIMP-1 production were minimal. Our results suggest that the suppression of the MAPK signalling pathway and MMP synthesis in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts is a possible mechanism for the inhibitory activity of leflunomide against rheumatoid arthritis.
Clinical Research Centre, National Nagasaki Medical Centre Omura, Omura, Japan. migita@nmc.hosp.go.jp
K
K
Migita
T
T
Miyashita
H
H
Ishibashi
Y
Y
Maeda
M
M
Nakamura
H
H
Yatsuhashi
H
H
Ida
A
A
Kawakami
T
T
Aoyagi
Y
Y
Kawabe
K
K
Eguchi
D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017364:Collagenases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003437:Crotonates; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009570:Nitriles; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D014052:Toluidines
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D003437:Crotonates; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D009570:Nitriles; D014052:Toluidines; C527525:teriflunomide; D017364:Collagenases; C507079:MMP13 protein, human; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1