Modified proposomes as a novel intra-articular delivery approach for rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

release studies revealed a sustained LEF release profile from LEF-HA-proposomes over 84 h. In a Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced RA rat model, IA administration of LEF-HA-proposomes resulted in marked therapeutic improvements (P˂0.05), including a 39.24% reduction in paw edoema, a 3.26-fold decrease in rheumatoid factor, a 3.47-fold reduction in TNF-α, and a 4.75-fold decline in IL-1β levels, accompanied by a 2.73-fold elevation in Nrf2 expression. Histopathological evaluation confirmed significant preservation of joint architecture and attenuation of synovial inflammation in the LEF-HA-proposomes group. Collectively, these findings highlight LEF-HA-proposomes as a promising IA nanocarrier platform for targeted RA therapy, offering prolonged drug retention, enhanced local anti-inflammatory efficacy, and minimised systemic toxicity compared with conventional oral treatments.