Intra-articular Methotrexate-Loaded Microsponge as an Adjuvant Strategy for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Localized Treatment with a Systemic Impact
Patrizia Nadia Hanieh, Noemi Fiaschini, Anna Scotto d’Abusco, Alessia Mariano, Valeria Palumbo, Manuel Scimeca, Mariano Venanzi, Francesca Cavalieri, Carlo Abbate, Maurizio Mattei, Luigi Gentile, Antonio Rinaldi, Roberta Bernardini, Alberto Migliore
TL;DR
This study explores a new way to deliver methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis using microsponges to reduce side effects and improve treatment effectiveness.
Contribution
The novel contribution is the development of methotrexate-loaded microsponges for intra-articular delivery, offering sustained release and systemic immunomodulation.
Findings
MTX-MSP provides sustained drug release in synovial fluid for 14 days with minimal burst effects.
MTX-MSP outperforms free MTX in reducing inflammatory markers in RA synoviocytes.
In vivo, MTX-MSP improves joint histology and suggests systemic immunomodulation.
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. Methotrexate (MTX) remains the gold standard in RA therapy, yet systemic administration often provides suboptimal joint targeting and causes dose-limiting toxicity. This study investigates intra-articular (IA) administration of an MTX-loaded Microsponge (MTX-MSP) as a localized strategy to enhance drug retention while minimizing systemic exposure. MTX-MSP is synthesized using hyaluronic acid-based cross-linking and MTX loading. Drug release and carrier mass loss were evaluated in a pathological human synovial fluid (HSF), and rheological and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses assess viscoelastic behavior and drug–carrier interactions. Biocompatibility and anti-inflammatory activity are tested in primary RA fibroblast-like…
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Taxonomy
TopicsRheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies · Spondyloarthritis Studies and Treatments · Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery