Introduction:: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease leading to cartilage degeneration and destruction. Friction between articular cartilage surfaces exacerbates these effects. Currently, clinical therapy is dominated by single anti-inflammatory or lubrication treatments. Preparations with both anti-inflammatory and lubrication effects are of great significance for RA treatment. In this study, a mesoporous silica nanosystem (MSN@DCF-HA) with dual functions of anti-inflammation and joint lubrication was developed for RA therapy. Methods:: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were prepared by the template method. MSN@DCF-HA was synthesized by encapsulating diclofenac (DCF) into MSN and then coating it with hyaluronic acid (HA). Drug loading capacity, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, and biosafety of MSN@DCF-HA were evaluated. An RA rat inflammation model was used to assess therapeutic efficacy. Results:: TEM revealed that MSN@DCF-HA was spherical and size-uniform. Experiments demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and stability. The system facilitated sustained DCF release in acidic PBS. In vivo results showed significant reduction in paw swelling, inflammatory factors, and bone damage in the MSN@DCF-HA group. Cell toxicity experiments, hemolysis experiments, and in vivo experiments indicated that it has no significant toxicity. Discussion:: MSN@DCF-HA, by loading DCF to exert anti-inflammatory effects and HA to provide external lubrication, joint protection, and synergistic treatment of RA, has demonstrated excellent therapeutic effects, providing a new strategy for RA treatment. Conclusion:: MSN@DCF-HA was successfully prepared, exhibited slow drug release in acidic environments, and its anti-inflammation and joint lubrication exerted synergistic effects on RA rats without obvious toxicity. This work proposes a novel therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis.
Zhou et al. (Tue,) studied this question.