The use of complementary and alternative medicine approaches is becoming increasingly popular with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. RA is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 1.0% of the American population and is a significant health and socio-economic challenge. In RA, activated synovial fibroblasts invade the articular cartilage and bone by a network of adhesion molecules and chemokines working in concert to induce inflammation and the release of matrix-degrading enzymes. In our preliminary studies, we found that the polyphenol-rich aqueous fraction of green tea (Camellia sinensis; green tea polyphenols, GTP) blocked interleukin-1? (IL-1?)-induced (i) production of the CC [monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and regulated upon activation normally T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES] and CXC [IL-8 and growth regulated oncogene-a (Gro-a)] chemokines, (ii) cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and (iii) nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kBp65 (NF-kBp65) in human RA synovial fibroblasts in vitro. In addition, treatment with GTP significantly blocked both constitutive- and IL-1?-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity in RA synovial fibroblasts in vitro. This proposal capitalizes on these novel observations. The central hypothesis of the work proposed in this application is that GTP will inhibit RA synovial fibroblast invasion by blocking chemokine production, cell adhesion, and MMP activation.
In specific aim 1, using RA synovial fibroblasts, we will study whether GTP inhibits chemokine production by inhibiting/altering IL-1? induced signaling pathways and the expression of chemokine receptors.
In specific aim 2, we will test whether GTP suppresses RA synovial fibroblast invasion by blocking IL-1? induced (a) expression of adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), (b) signaling pathways implicated in MMP-2, -3, and -13 activation, and (c) COX-2 expression.
In specific aim 3, we will study whether GTP is effective in inhibiting chemokine mediated cell migration and MMP activation in RA synovial fibroblasts. Results from these studies will lay the foundation for in vivo studies for GTP as therapeutic entity to target chemokines and their receptor mediated synovial invasion in rodent arthritis models and in human RA. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
1R21AT003633-01A1
Application #
7255315
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAT1-DB (25))
Program Officer
Pontzer, Carol H
Project Start
2007-06-15
Project End
2009-05-31
Budget Start
2007-06-15
Budget End
2008-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$190,000
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Ahmed, Salahuddin; Riegsecker, Sharayah; Beamer, Maria et al. (2013) Largazole, a class I histone deacetylase inhibitor, enhances TNF-?-induced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 270:87-96
Jones, Brian A; Riegsecker, Sharayah; Rahman, Ayesha et al. (2013) Role of ADAM-17, p38 MAPK, cathepsins, and the proteasome pathway in the synthesis and shedding of fractalkine/CX? CL1 in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 65:2814-25
Marotte, Hubert; Ruth, Jeffrey H; Campbell, Phillip L et al. (2010) Green tea extract inhibits chemokine production, but up-regulates chemokine receptor expression, in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts and rat adjuvant-induced arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 49:467-79
Jones, Brian A; Beamer, Maria; Ahmed, Salahuddin (2010) Fractalkine/CX3CL1: a potential new target for inflammatory diseases. Mol Interv 10:263-70
Ahmed, Salahuddin (2010) Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin 3-gallate in arthritis: progress and promise. Arthritis Res Ther 12:208
Marotte, Hubert; Ahmed, Salahuddin; Ruth, Jeffrey H et al. (2010) Blocking ERK-1/2 reduces tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced interleukin-18 bioactivity in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts by induction of interleukin-18 binding protein A. Arthritis Rheum 62:722-31
Ahmed, Salahuddin; Silverman, Matthew D; Marotte, Hubert et al. (2009) Down-regulation of myeloid cell leukemia 1 by epigallocatechin-3-gallate sensitizes rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts to tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis. Arthritis Rheum 60:1282-93
Ahmed, Salahuddin; Marotte, Hubert; Kwan, Kevin et al. (2008) Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits IL-6 synthesis and suppresses transsignaling by enhancing soluble gp130 production. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:14692-7