2. Academic Validation
  3. Piezo1 activation accelerates osteoarthritis progression and the targeted therapy effect of artemisinin

Piezo1 activation accelerates osteoarthritis progression and the targeted therapy effect of artemisinin

  • J Adv Res. 2023 Sep 25;S2090-1232(23)00289-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.09.040.
Donghao Gan 1,  Chu Tao 1,  Xiaowan Jin 1,  Xiaohao Wu 1,  Qinnan Yan 1,  Yiming Zhong 1,  Qingyun Jia 2,  Lisheng Wu 2,  Shaochuan Huo 3,  Lei Qin 4,  Guozhi Xiao 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
  • 2 Department of Orthopedics, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China.
  • 3 Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China.
  • 4 Department of Orthopedics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
  • 5 Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37758057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.09.040
Abstract

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a devastating whole-joint disease affecting a large population worldwide with no cure; its mechanism remains poorly defined. Abnormal mechanical stress is the main pathological factor of OA.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of Piezo1 activation on osteoarthritis (OA) development and progression and to explore Piezo1-targeting OA treatment.

Methods: The expression levels of Piezo1 were determined in human OA cartilage and experimental OA mice. Mice with genetic Piezo1 deletion in chondrocytes or intra-articular injection of the Piezo1 activator Yoda1 were utilized to determine the effects on DMM-induced OA progression. Effects of artemisinin (ART), a potent antimalarial drug, on Piezo1 activation, chondrocyte metabolism and OA lesions were determined.

Results: Piezo1 expression was elevated in articular chondrocytes in human OA and DMM-induced mouse OA cartilage. Piezo1 deletion in chondrocytes largely attenuates DMM-induced OA-like phenotypes. In contrast, intra-articular injection of Yoda1 aggravates the knee joint OA lesions in mice. PIEZO1 activation increases, while PIEZO1 siRNA knockdown decreases, expression of RUNX2 and catabolic enzymes MMP13 and ADAMTS5 in primary human articular chondrocytes in a PI3K-AKT dependent manner. We have provided strong evidence supporting that ART is a novel and potent inhibitor of Piezo1 activation in primary OA-HACs and all cell lines examined, including human endothelial HUVEC cells, ATDC5 chondrocyte-like cells and MLO-Y4 osteocytes-like cells. Results from in vitro experiments confirmed that ART decreases the Yoda1-induced increases in the levels of OA-related genes and p-PI3K and p-AKT proteins in OA-HACs and alleviates DMM-induced OA lesions in mice.

Conclusions: We establish a critical role of Piezo1 in promoting OA development and progression and define ART as a potential OA treatment.

Keywords

Artemisinin; Chondrocyte; Osteoarthritis; Piezo1.

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