The growth factor progranulin binds to TNF receptors and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis in mice. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The growth factor progranulin (PGRN) has been implicated in embryonic development, tissue repair, tumorigenesis, and inflammation, but its receptors remain unidentified. We report that PGRN bound directly to tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) and disturbed the TNF-TNFR interaction. PGRN-deficient mice were susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis, and administration of PGRN reversed inflammatory arthritis. Atsttrin, an engineered protein composed of three PGRN fragments, exhibited selective TNFR binding. PGRN and Atsttrin prevented inflammation in multiple arthritis mouse models and inhibited TNF-activated intracellular signaling. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PGRN is a ligand of TNFR, an antagonist of TNF signaling, and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis in mice. They also suggest new potential therapeutic interventions for various TNF-mediated pathologies and conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.

published proceedings

  • Science

altmetric score

  • 8.5

author list (cited authors)

  • Tang, W., Lu, Y. i., Tian, Q., Zhang, Y., Guo, F., Liu, G., ... Liu, C.

citation count

  • 555

complete list of authors

  • Tang, Wei||Lu, Yi||Tian, Qing-Yun||Zhang, Yan||Guo, Feng-Jin||Liu, Guang-Yi||Syed, Nabeel Muzaffar||Lai, Yongjie||Lin, Edward Alan||Kong, Li||Su, Jeffrey||Yin, Fangfang||Ding, Ai-Hao||Zanin-Zhorov, Alexandra||Dustin, Michael L||Tao, Jian||Craft, Joseph||Yin, Zhinan||Feng, Jian Q||Abramson, Steven B||Yu, Xiu-Ping||Liu, Chuan-ju

publication date

  • April 2011