We investigated the potential of vitamin B12 as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly focusing on its ability to target an enzyme called peptidylarginine deiminase isoform 4 (PADI-4). PADI-4 plays a crucial role in a process called citrullination, which is often disrupted in autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Our findings revealed that vitamin B12 effectively inhibits PADI-4, showing a preference for this enzyme over another similar one, PADI-2. This inhibition corresponds to a decrease in overall cellular citrullination, including the citrullination of histone H3, which is also mediated by PADI-4.
Additionally, we observed that hydroxocobalamin, a special form of vitamin B12, significantly reduced the severity of collagen type II antibody-induced arthritis in mice. It also lowered the expression of key inflammatory factors and cytokines associated with rheumatoid arthritis, such as IL-17A, TNFα, and IL-6.
These promising results suggest that vitamin B12 might be an effective therapeutic avenue for managing rheumatoid arthritis, warranting further investigation in future studies.