Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Drives Proliferation of Synoviocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Possible Novel Therapeutic Target
Figure 2
Shh, Ptch1, Smo, and Gli1 were highly expressed in RA synovial tissue (original magnification ×400). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that Shh, Ptch1, Smo, and Gli1 were expressed in synovium from RA patients ((a), (b), (c), (d)). Localized expression of Shh was observed at the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm of synoviocytes, mainly at the cell membrane (a); expression of Ptch1 and Smo was observed in the plasma of synoviocytes ((b), (c)). Gli1 was expressed mainly in the nucleus of synoviocytes (d). Shh, Ptch1, Smo, and Gli1 were expressed in synovium from patients with knee trauma in a similar pattern, but their expression levels were relatively low compared to those in RA synovium. (a), (b), (c), and (d) were RA specimens; (e), (f), (g), and (h) were controls. (a) and (e): Shh; (b) and (f): Ptch1; (c) and (g): Smo; (d) and (h): Gli1. Shh, Sonic hedgehog; Ptch1, patched 1; Smo, smoothened; Gli1, glioma-associated oncogene 1.
