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Published on: January 31, 2020
Relationship between angiogenesis and inflammation in experimental arthritis
Gaelle Clavel1, Chiara Valvason, Kunio Yamaoka
1INSERM, ERI-18, University of Paris 13 and Rheumatology Dpt, CHU Avicenne (AP-HP), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, 93017 Bobigny Cedex, France.
European Cytokine Network
|December 30, 2006
Summary
Angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation, exacerbates rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by increasing joint inflammation and bone destruction. This study demonstrates that increased vascularization worsens collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in a mouse model.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vascular Biology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves synovial inflammation and angiogenesis, creating a feedback loop that potentiates disease progression.
- Understanding the interplay between synovial inflammation and angiogenesis is crucial for developing effective RA treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reciprocal relationship between synovial inflammation and angiogenesis in a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model.
- To determine the impact of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on CIA progression.
Main Methods:
- Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was induced in DBA/1 mice.
- Angiogenesis was quantified using immunohistochemical staining for endothelial cells and vessels in knee joint sections.
- VEGF gene transfer was performed using adeno-associated virus (AAV-VEGF) via systemic, intramuscular, or intra-articular injection.
Main Results:
- Synovial angiogenesis increased significantly from day 6 to day 55 post-CIA induction.
- Joint vascularization strongly correlated with clinical scores (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001) and histological scores (r = 0.51, p = 0.0006).
- Systemic VEGF overexpression aggravated CIA, while intra-articular VEGF exacerbated histological inflammation and bone destruction.
Conclusions:
- Angiogenesis and joint inflammation progress in parallel during CIA.
- Exogenous VEGF administration worsens CIA, providing direct evidence that increased joint vascularization exacerbates arthritis.
- These findings highlight the critical role of angiogenesis in inflammatory arthritis and suggest its early involvement in joint inflammation.
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