Cartilage-protective effects of lopinavir/ritonavir: in vitro and in silico exploration of the HIF-1α/SOX9/IL-1β pathway


Ozbek H., Yilmaz I., Akyuz A., Pehlivanoglu S., Sirin D. Y., Albayrak M., ...Daha Fazla

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, cilt.20, sa.1, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 20 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1186/s13018-025-06068-5
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Chondrocyte, HIF-1α, Il-1β, Lopinavir/ritonavir, SOX9
  • Uşak Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Lop/r) on chondrocyte structure and extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity, as well as its impact on key proteins involved in anabolic and catabolic pathways, using both in vitro and in silico approaches. Methods: Drug-target interaction networks were constructed through bioinformatics analyses, and molecular docking was performed. Human primary chondrocytes were treated with Lop/r, and untreated cells served as controls. Cell viability, proliferation, and protein expression levels were assessed using standard in vitro techniques, including spectrophotometric assays and Western blotting. Results: Molecular docking analyses revealed strong binding affinities between Lop/r and osteoarthritis-related targets such as HIF-1α, EP300, TNF, IL-6, KCNA5, and IL-1β, suggesting modulation of hypoxia, inflammatory, and epigenetic pathways. In vitro, Lop/r did not alter chondrocyte morphology or ECM structure and was not cytotoxic (p < 0.05). However, it significantly reduced the expression of critical proteins including HIF-1α, SOX9, and IL-1β (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that Lop/r may exert regulatory effects on cartilage-related molecular pathways and holds promise as a repurposed therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis. Further studies are warranted to confirm its potential in clinical applications.