calpain and Arthritis--Rheumatoid

Effective small-molecule treatment of inflammatory diseases remains an unmet need in medicine. Current treatments are either limited in effectiveness or invasive. The latest biologics prevent influx of inflammatory cells to damaged tissue. Calpain-1 is a calcium-activated cysteine protease that plays an important role in neutrophil motility. It is, therefore, a potential target for intervention in inflammatory disease. Many inhibitors of calpains have been developed but most are unselective and so unsuitable for drug use. However, recent series of α-mercaptoacrylate inhibitors target regulatory domains of calpain-1 and are much more specific. These compounds are effective in impairing the cell spreading mechanism of neutrophils in vitro and raise the possibility of treating rheumatoid arthritis with a pill; however, challenges still remain. Improved bioavailability is needed and solution of their precise mode of action should prompt the development of specific calpain-1 screens for novel classes of inhibitors.

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calpain; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; Drug Discovery; Humans; Models, Molecular; Protein Structure, Tertiary

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calpain; Humans

Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is involved in both normal physiological processes and pathology of various diseases. The purpose of this study was to explore the function and underlying mechanisms of TRPM7 channels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) apoptosis induced by thapsigargin in vitro. In this study, using a combination of Western blotting, RT-PCR, and nuclear morphology analysis, we investigated the influence and potential function of TRPM7 channels on the apoptosis induced by thapsigargin in RA FLSs. Chemical inhibitors (Gd(3+) and 2-APB) and specific siRNA for TRPM7 were used to study the role of TRPM7 in RA FLSs apoptosis. The expression of TRPM7 was significantly potentiated in RA FLSs. Co-incubation of RA FLSs with Gd(3+), 2-APB, or TRPM7-siRNA increased cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that suppression of TRPM7 channels also increased the expression CHOP and calpain and decreased the expression caspase-3. We conclude that suppression of TRPM7 channels may increase RA FLSs apoptosis in vitro, and this is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Therefore, inhibition of TRPM7 could activate ER stress and induce RA FLSs apoptosis.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Boron Compounds; Calpain; Caspase 3; Disease Models, Animal; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Fibroblasts; Gadolinium; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Small Interfering; Synovial Membrane; Transcription Factor CHOP; TRPM Cation Channels

Calpain is secreted by intra-articular synovial cells and degrades the main components of cartilage matrix proteins, proteoglycan, and collagen, causing cartilage destruction. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) has also been detected in synovial fluid and serum, and is involved in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis by degradation of the extracellular matrix and cartilage destruction. To investigate the relationship between calpain and MMP-3 in rheumatic inflammation, we utilized the rheumatic synovial cell line, MH7A. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) stimulation-induced increased expression of mu-calpain, m-calpain, and MMP-3 in these cells, as well as the release of calpain and MMP-3 into the culture medium. The calpain inhibitors, ALLN (calpain inhibitor I) and calpeptin, did not affect the intracellular expression of MMP-3, but reduced the secretion of MMP-3 in a concentration-dependent manner. Down-regulation of mu- but not m-calpain by small interfering RNAs abolished TNF-alpha-induced MMP-3 release from the synovial cells. These findings suggest that calpain, particularly mu-calpain, regulates MMP-3 release by rheumatic synovial cells, in addition to exerting its own degradative action on cartilage.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calpain; Cell Line; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; Humans; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; RNA Interference; Synovial Membrane; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Up-Regulation

The alpha-fodrin N-terminal portion (AFN) autoantigen mediates in vivo immunoregulation of autoimmune responses in primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). We further examined this process and found that cleavage products of AFN were frequently detected in the salivary gland duct cells of SS patients. In in vitro studies using human salivary gland HSY cells, anti-Fas-induced apoptosis resulted in specific cleavage of alpha-fodrin into the 120-kd fragment, in association of alpha-fodrin with mu-calpain, and activation of caspase 3. Significant proliferative responses against AlphaFN autoantigen were observed in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SS patients with higher pathological score (grade 4) and with short duration from onset (within 5 years). In vivo roles of AFN peptides were investigated using PBMCs from patients with SS, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Significant proliferative T-cell responses of PBMCs to AFN peptide were detected in SS but not in systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. AFN peptide induced Th1-immune responses and accelerated down-regulation of Fas-mediated T-cell apoptosis in SS. Our data further elucidate the in vivo role of AFN autoantigen on the development of SS and suggest that the AFN autoantigen is a novel participant in peripheral tolerance.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Apoptosis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Autoantigens; Blotting, Western; Calpain; Carrier Proteins; Case-Control Studies; Caspase 3; Caspases; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cells, Cultured; Coculture Techniques; Enzyme Activation; fas Receptor; Female; Furans; Glutathione Transferase; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Japan; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Microfilament Proteins; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Weight; Parotid Gland; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Sjogren's Syndrome; Thymidine

The effects of proteolysis inhibitors on hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced apoptosis were examined in cultured human synovial cells of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. RA synovial cells were resistant to apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2). In the presence of 100 microM N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (ALLN, known as calpain inhibitor 1 and also a proteasome inhibitor), but not N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-methioninal (ALLM), apoptotic cell death was elicited by 400 microM H(2)O(2) at a concentration that alone never induced cell death. ALLN induced the expression of tumor suppressor p53 protein and p21(WAF-1) protein, probably through inhibition of proteasome. H(2)O(2) further potentiated ALLN-induced p53 expression. H(2)O(2) appeared to activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and AKT. After administration of H(2)O(2) and p53 induction by ALLN, we found that either one alone is insufficient to induce apoptosis of RA synovial cells but their combination synergistically does so. These results suggest that induction of p53 by ALLN may be potentially important for triggering H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis processes in RA synovial cells.

Topics: Apoptosis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calpain; Cells, Cultured; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; Drug Synergism; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Leupeptins; Synovial Membrane

Our previous reports revealed that calpain has proteoglycanase activity and exists in synovial fluid in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. We examined the effects of cytokines on expression of the calpain-calpastatin system in fibroblastic synoviocytes (FLS). Primary cultures of human FLS from osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were stimulated with inflammatory cytokines and the amounts of m-calpain and calpastatin mRNAs expressed were determined by Northern blotting. Northern blots were subjected to computerized densitometer and band intensities were determined. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) down-regulated m-calpain and tissue-type calpastatin mRNA expression in OA and RA FLS. In RA FLS, although IL-6 did not alter m-calpain mRNA expression, IL-1 + tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1 + transforming growth factor (TGF) down-regulated m-calpain mRNA expression. These results provide new information about the effects of inflammatory cytokines on calpain and calpastatin system in OA and RA pathology.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calpain; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Humans; Interleukin-1; Kinetics; Osteoarthritis; RNA, Messenger; Synovial Fluid; Transforming Growth Factors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

To detect immunoglobulin isotype-specific autoantibodies to native human calpastatin in patients with rheumatic diseases, we performed immunoblot analysis using the heated HeLa cell extracts to enrich heat-resistant calpastatin. The calpastatin molecule that was apparently migrated to 110 kD by SDS-PAGE was confirmed to react with monoclonal anti-human calpastatin antibody in immunoblotting. IgG antibodies to calpastatin were detected in 22 of 48 sera (46%) from patients with RA, whereas only 20% (5/25), 11% (2/19) and 13% (2/15) of sera from SLE, SSc and PM/DM had IgG anti-calpastatin antibodies, respectively. IgM antibodies were also found in 40% (19/48) of RA and 12% (3/25) of SLE patients but not detected in sera from patients with other rheumatic diseases. IgA antibodies were found in only one RA and one SLE serum. In RA, 7 of 48 sera (15%) had IgM antibodies alone, but all SLE sera with IgM antibodies had IgG antibodies. Thus, anti-calpastatin autoantibodies were detected by using the native human calpastatin. Although these autoantibodies were found in patients with various rheumatic diseases, they were present in RA patients at the highest frequency. In particular, the presence of IgM antibodies appeared to be more specific in RA patients.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Autoantibodies; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calpain; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; HeLa Cells; Hot Temperature; Humans; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin Isotypes; Tissue Extracts

We identified an autoantibody that reacts with calpastatin [an inhibitor protein of the calcium-dependent neutral protease calpain (EC 3.4.22.17)]. In early immunoblot studies, sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recognized unidentified 60-, 45-, and 75-kDa proteins in HeLa cell extracts. To identify these autoantigens, we used patient sera to clone cDNAs from a lambda gt11 expression library. We isolated clones of four genes that expressed fusion proteins recognized by RA sera. The 1.2-kb cDNA insert (termed RA-6) appeared to encode a polypeptide corresponding to the 60-kDa antigen from HeLa cells, since antibodies bound to the RA-6 fusion protein also reacted with a 60-kDa HeLa protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of the RA-6 cDNA was completely identical with the C-terminal 178 amino acids of human calpastatin except for one amino acid substitution. Patient sera that reacted with the RA-6 also bound pig muscle calpastatin, and a monoclonal antibody to human calpastatin recognized the RA-6 fusion protein, confirming the identity of RA-6 with calpastatin. Moreover, the purified RA-6 fusion protein inhibited the proteolytic activity of calpain, and IgG from a serum containing anti-calpastatin antibodies blocked the calpastatin activity of the RA-6 fusion protein. Immunoblots of the RA-6 product detected autoantibodies to calpastatin in 57% of RA patients; this incidence was significantly higher than that observed in other systemic rheumatic diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (27%), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (24%), systemic sclerosis (38%), and overlap syndrome (29%). Thus, anti-calpastatin antibodies are present most frequently in patients with RA and may participate in pathogenic mechanisms of rheumatic diseases.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Autoantibodies; Base Sequence; Binding, Competitive; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calpain; DNA, Complementary; HeLa Cells; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscles; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Rheumatic Diseases; Species Specificity; Swine

To study the roles of calpains in the synovial joint in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and to verify the hypothesis that calpains present in the synovial fluid come from the synovium.. We performed immunohistochemical, biochemical, and immunoblotting analyses for calpains in synovial tissues, synovial cell cultures, and synovial fluids.. Immunohistochemical staining of RA synovium demonstrated specific cytoplasmic staining of cells in the synovial lining layer, storomal fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. OA synovium showed almost the same intensity and distribution of calpain staining. DEAE-cellulose chromatography of RA and OA synovial extracts and synovial fluids showed a peak of caseinolytic activity attributable to calpain, as well as an inhibitory peak of calpastatin, a specific inhibitor protein of calpains. Immunoblotting using the anticalpain antibody from the calpain peak of RA and OA synovium and synovial fluid showed identity with the heavy subunit of calpain (80 kd). Similarly, calpain existed in the same form (80 kd) in conditioned media (supernatant) obtained from synovial cell cultures, as well as in the synoviocytes. The total specific activity of the 2 calpains in the synovial fluid of RA patients was higher than that of calpastatin.. The findings suggest that the extracellular appearance of calpains could be due to the secretion of these proteins from the synovial cells and that calpains may play a role in cartilage damage of RA and OA that occurs in synovial joints.

Topics: Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calcium; Calpain; Cells, Cultured; Hip Joint; Humans; Immunoblotting; Immunohistochemistry; Knee Joint; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Osteoarthritis; Synovial Fluid; Synovial Membrane; Tissue Distribution

Extracellular location of calpain and calpastatin was demonstrated in the cell-free synovial fluid obtained from the knee joint of healthy adult humans and several patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Calpains I and II and a few molecular species of calpastatin were identified by chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose and on Ultrogel AcA 34 columns as well as by immunoelectrophoretic blot analysis. Calpains I and II in the synovial fluid of the patients increased 6.7 times and 3.5 times, respectively, compared with those of the control subjects. With the patients, shortening of the heavy subunits of calpains was noted. Calpastatin also increased in the patients, but it showed rather extensive fragmentation.

Topics: Adult; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Blotting, Western; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calpain; Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; Extracellular Space; Female; Humans; Knee Joint; Molecular Weight; Synovial Fluid