SARS Coronavirus Fusion Peptide-Derived Sequence Suppresses Collagen-Induced Arthritis in DBA/1J Mice

Shen, Zu T.; Sigalov, Alexander B.

In the vehicle-treated arthritic mice, the fore and hind paw joints had moderate inflammation and cartilage damage with moderate pannus and bone resorption, as well as mild periosteal bone formation, in all joints (Fig. 4) . The knee joints had marked inflammation and moderate cartilage damage with pannus formation, bone resorption, and periosteal bone formation (not shown) (Fig. 4) . The ankle joints had moderate inflammation and cartilage damage with minimal pannus and bone resorption, as well as mild periosteal bone formation (Fig. 4) . Markedly thickened synovial membrane and capsule were observed as a result of pannus formation and inflammatory cell infiltration. As shown in Fig. 4 , the chronic inflammation destroyed the joint lining, including the cartilage and other nearby supporting structures, such as bone. The formation of pannus is probably a result of overgrowth of the synoviocytes and the observed accumulation of inflammatory cells that led to deformed cartilage and bone. This agrees with the observed clinical scores. Similar histopathology of the joints was observed in the animals treated with MG11-2G at 25 mg/kg/day (not shown).