Activation of kappa opioid receptor suppresses post-traumatic osteoarthritis via sequestering STAT3 on the plasma membrane

Objective Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signaling is involved in joint development and inflammation in Osteoarthritis (OA), while the biochemical mechanism remains unclarified. This study aims to investigate downstream molecular events of KOR activation, to provide novel perspectives in OA pathology. Methods U50,488H, a selective KOR agonist, was intra-articularly injected in mice upon destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) as OA models, with PBS injection as control. The behavioral and histological evaluation was assessed by hot plate test and red solid green staining, respectively. Alterations in mRNA and protein expression were assessed by RNA-seq, RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting (WB) in chondrocytes treated with TNF-α or TNF-α + U50,488H. Proteins interacted with KOR were explored using proximity labeling followed by mass spectrometry and then testified by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay and immunofluorescence (IF). Results OA-induced pain was reduced and cartilage degeneration was alleviated upon KOR activation in DMM mice. In chondrocytes, activation of KOR reversed the upregulation of MMPs, IL-6, IL-1β and phosphorylated(p-) STAT3, stimulated by TNF-α, while the expression of NF-κB, MAPKs and AKT signaling weren't reversed. RNA-seq and IF results presented that KOR activation evidently reduced STAT3 nuclear translocation in chondrocytes upon TNF-α stimuli. The reduction may be resulted from the binding of KOR and STAT3 in the plasma membrane, revealed by proximity labeling and Co-IP results. Conclusions KOR activation protects cartilage from OA, and this protective effect is mainly exerted via sequestering STAT3 on the plasma membrane, resulting in inactivation of STAT3-dependent immune responses which otherwise contributes to OA.