Luteolin-7-O-rutinoside alleviates rheumatoid arthritis through downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB and cell cycle signaling pathways.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease with limited therapeutic options, and current therapies are often associated with considerable adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicinal plants such as Aim of the study: Lut-7-O-rutin is a flavonoid compound found in various medicinal plants. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of lut-7-O-rutin on RA and elucidate the underlying mechanisms using both Materials and methods: Results: Lut-7-O-rutin at 3.75 μg/mL significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and COX-2 in IL-1β-induced FLSs. It also decreased the phosphorylation levels of key components of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby attenuating inflammation. In addition, lut-7-O-rutin downregulated the expression of the cell cycle-associated proteins CDK4 and CCND and inhibited FLS proliferation. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that lut-7-O-rutin alleviates joint inflammation and synovial hyperplasia in RA may be mediated through inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway and downregulating cell cycle-associated proteins, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for RA.