Immunomodulatory effect of Tityus sp. in mononuclear cells extracted from the blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Pathophysiological mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis arise because of a proinflammatory environment, generated by the interaction of autoreactive lymphocytes and proinflammatory mediators. Current strategies to mitigate the progression of the disease produce adverse effects, so there is a need for new therapeutic strategies and molecular targets to treat this disease. In this context, evidence suggests that scorpion venoms could modulate the immune response and some important cellular mechanisms of pharmacological interest. To evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of the venom of Tityus sp. (a possible new species close to Tityus metuendus) peripheral blood mononuclear cells of women diagnosed with RA were compared to cells of a control group.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted with a sample of 10 women with a confirmed diagnosis of RA and controls matched by sex and age. The cytotoxicity of the venom was evaluated to find sublethal concentrations of the venom, and subsequently, their immunomodulatory capacity in terms of percentage of proliferation, cell activation, and cytokines production.

Results: the venom of Tityus sp. produced a decrease in the percentage of proliferation in the CD3⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3⁺CD8⁺ cell subpopulations of RA patients and healthy controls, at concentrations of 252 and 126 µg/mL. However, the venom did not induce significant differences in the percentage of cell activation markers. The venom caused a decrease in IL-10 at a concentration of 252 µg/mL compared to untreated cells from patients and controls. The remaining cytokines did not show significant differences.

Conclusion: the venom of Tityus sp. is a potential source of molecules with immunomodulatory ability in CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes. This result directs venom characterization studies to identify pharmacological targets with immunomodulatory capacity in T lymphocytes to enhance research in the treatment of autoimmune disorders such as RA.