Tacrolimus treatment increases bone formation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatol Int. 2013 Aug;33(8):2159-63. doi: 10.1007/s00296-012-2370-z. Epub 2012 Mar 25.

Abstract

Tacrolimus is a calcineurin inhibitor, and it is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It works by inhibiting nuclear factor of activated T cells and inducting immunosuppression. This study aims to evaluate the influence of tacrolimus on the bone metabolism of patients with RA. Twenty-eight RA patients in three centers received tacrolimus 3 mg once daily for 24 weeks. Blood samples for evaluating bone metabolism and cytokines were collected at Weeks 0 and 24. We measured the serum C-telopeptide of type I collagen (sCTx-I), osteocalcin and inflammatory cytokines. We analyzed the data using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation. IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly decreased after the administration of tacrolimus (p = 0.027 and p = 0.024). There was no significant difference in the serum level of sCTx-I before and after treatment. The level of serum osteocalcin at Week 24 was significantly increased compared to the level at Week 0 (p = 0.002). The increase of osteocalcin was correlated with the reductions of IL-2 and IFN-γ (r = 0.405, p = 0.033 and r = 0.380, p = 0.046, respectively). Tacrolimus treatment increased bone formation markers in RA patients. This suggests that tacrolimus may play a role to inhibit bone erosion by increasing bone formation as well as improving the clinical symptoms of RA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / blood
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Interleukin-2 / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteocalcin / blood
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects*
  • Tacrolimus / pharmacology
  • Tacrolimus / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-6
  • Osteocalcin
  • Tacrolimus