PLoS ONE (Jan 2023)

A green-lipped mussel prevents rheumatoid arthritis via regulation of inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis.

  • SeungCheon Yang,
  • Hong Ki Min,
  • Jin-Sil Park,
  • Hyun Sik Na,
  • Mi-La Cho,
  • Sung-Hwan Park

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280601
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
p. e0280601

Abstract

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by progressive joint destruction. Green-lipped mussel (GLM) has chondro-modulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, but the mechanism underlying the effect of GLM on RA is unclear. To investigate the roles of GLM on the pathogenesis of RA, we examined the effects of GLM in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice and osteoclast differentiation. GLM was orally administrated CIA mice at 3 weeks after chicken type II collagen (CII) immunizations. GLM reduced arthritis severity and the histologic score of CIA mice compared to vehicle. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-17) was decreased in the ankle joints of GLM-treated CIA mice. The expression of CD4+ IL-17+ cells decreased in ex vivo splenocytes and the spleens of GLM-treated CIA mice. Moreover, GLM inhibited TRAP+ multinucleated cells among mouse bone marrow-derived monocytes/macrophages (BMM), and the expression of osteoclast-related genes in mouse BMMs and human monocytes in vitro. These results suggest that GLM has potential as a therapeutic agent that can improve disease by controlling pathologic immune cells and osteoclastogenesis.