Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting articular joints and skeletal muscle. To assess the role of cytokines upon muscle strength in RA, we developed an in vitro tissue-engineered human skeletal muscle model (myobundle). Myobundles were generated using primary...

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Main Authors: Catherine E. Oliver, Jonathan L. Carter, James S. Hong, Mingzhi Xu, William E. Kraus, Kim M. Huffman, George A. Truskey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07970-8
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author Catherine E. Oliver
Jonathan L. Carter
James S. Hong
Mingzhi Xu
William E. Kraus
Kim M. Huffman
George A. Truskey
author_facet Catherine E. Oliver
Jonathan L. Carter
James S. Hong
Mingzhi Xu
William E. Kraus
Kim M. Huffman
George A. Truskey
author_sort Catherine E. Oliver
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting articular joints and skeletal muscle. To assess the role of cytokines upon muscle strength in RA, we developed an in vitro tissue-engineered human skeletal muscle model (myobundle). Myobundles were generated using primary skeletal muscle cells from the vastus lateralis muscle of RA patients and age-matched healthy controls. RA myobundles were more sensitive to 5 ng/mL IFN-γ, exhibiting reduced contractile force and altered contraction kinetics. Addition of IL-6 with or without IFN-γ led to a small but significant increase in striated fibers. Gene sets involved in the response to hypoxia, MTOR1 signaling, and the unfolded protein response were enriched in IFN-γ-treated RA myobundles, but not IFN-γ-treated controls. Tofacitinib increased contractile force and myosin heavy chain levels and restored PIM1 protein levels in RA myobundles treated with IFN-γ. Thus, in RA muscle, low levels of IFN-γ selectively increase gene pathways that reduce contractile force.
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spelling doaj-art-c9b2ec6072f5458392ded2cb990e5cb52025-08-20T02:03:32ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-04-018111410.1038/s42003-025-07970-8Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controlsCatherine E. Oliver0Jonathan L. Carter1James S. Hong2Mingzhi Xu3William E. Kraus4Kim M. Huffman5George A. Truskey6Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Medicine, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityAbstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting articular joints and skeletal muscle. To assess the role of cytokines upon muscle strength in RA, we developed an in vitro tissue-engineered human skeletal muscle model (myobundle). Myobundles were generated using primary skeletal muscle cells from the vastus lateralis muscle of RA patients and age-matched healthy controls. RA myobundles were more sensitive to 5 ng/mL IFN-γ, exhibiting reduced contractile force and altered contraction kinetics. Addition of IL-6 with or without IFN-γ led to a small but significant increase in striated fibers. Gene sets involved in the response to hypoxia, MTOR1 signaling, and the unfolded protein response were enriched in IFN-γ-treated RA myobundles, but not IFN-γ-treated controls. Tofacitinib increased contractile force and myosin heavy chain levels and restored PIM1 protein levels in RA myobundles treated with IFN-γ. Thus, in RA muscle, low levels of IFN-γ selectively increase gene pathways that reduce contractile force.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07970-8
spellingShingle Catherine E. Oliver
Jonathan L. Carter
James S. Hong
Mingzhi Xu
William E. Kraus
Kim M. Huffman
George A. Truskey
Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
Communications Biology
title Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
title_full Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
title_fullStr Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
title_full_unstemmed Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
title_short Differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
title_sort differential response of tissue engineered skeletal muscle from rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07970-8
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