Dextran Sulfate Methotrexate Pro Drug for Treatment of Collagen- Induced Arthritis by Scavenger Receptors

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain and impairment in the joints. Activated macrophages have a key role in the initiation and progression of RA. The scavenger receptor, one of several receptors overexpressed on activated macrophages, is a particular biomarker for targeted therapy of a variety of chronic inflammatory disorders, including RA. This study synthesizes and characterizes a dextran sulfategraft- methotrexate combination that has good SR target ability in activated RAW cells. Furthermore, when compared to therapy with dextran-graft-methotrexate, increased accumulation and powerful inflammatory inhibition are detected in the afflicted joint following intravenous injection, as evidenced by histology and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our findings point to SR-expressed activated macrophages as a possible treatment target for RA.