Levamisole Ameliorates Rheumatoid Arthritis by Downregulating the PI3K/Akt Pathway in SD Rats

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease with limited effective treatments.
• Levamisole (LVM) is an immunomodulatory drug with potential therapeutic applications in RA.
• The precise mechanism of LVM in treating RA requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the therapeutic effects of Levamisole (LVM) on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanism of LVM's action in RA treatment.
• To provide theoretical support for LVM's clinical application in RA.

Main Methods:

• Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rat model established.
• Oral administration of LVM at varying doses (5, 15, 45 mg/kg) for 25 days.
• Evaluations included arthritis scores, paw measurements, histology, cytokine analysis, biochemical markers, and PI3K/Akt protein expression via Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

• LVM significantly reduced arthritis index, paw thickness, and volume.
• LVM alleviated synovial and ankle joint inflammation and normalized pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, TNF-α).
• LVM inhibited PI3K/Akt pathway protein expression in affected tissues and ameliorated splenic lesions without major organ toxicity.

Conclusions:

• Levamisole (LVM) demonstrates significant therapeutic effects in an AIA rat model.
• LVM ameliorates synovitis and bone erosion by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
• LVM presents a promising therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis.