Journal Article

Methotrexate and its mechanisms of action in inflammatory arthritis

Aune, Thomas M, Cronstein, Bruce N

2020

Overview

Despite the introduction of numerous biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other forms of inflammatory arthritis, low-dose methotrexate therapy remains the gold standard in RA therapy. Methotrexate is generally the first-line drug for the treatment of RA, psoriatic arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis, and it enhances the effect of most biologic agents in RA. Understanding the mechanism of action of methotrexate could be instructive in the appropriate use of the drug and in the design of new regimens for the treatment of RA. Although methotrexate is one of the first examples of intelligent drug design, multiple mechanisms potentially contribute to the anti-inflammatory actions of methotrexate, including the inhibition of purine and pyrimidine synthesis, transmethylation reactions, translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) to the nucleus, signalling via the Janus kinase (JAK)–signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway and nitric oxide production, as well as the promotion of adenosine release and expression of certain long non-coding RNAs.Methotrexate can suppress inflammation via multiple mechanisms that can differ across different cell types. Understanding these mechanisms might enable better understanding of the disease and prediction of treatment responses.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: Adenosine / Arthritis / Drug development / Immunomodulators / Inflammation / Janus kinase / Methotrexate / NF-κB protein / Nitric oxide / Non-coding RNA / Psoriatic arthritis / Rheumatoid arthritis / Signal transduction / Transcription