Additive effects of inhibiting both mTOR and glutamine metabolism on the arthritis in SKG mice

Glutamine metabolism and the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway are activated cooperatively in the differentiation and activation of inflammatory immune cells. But the combined inhibition of both pathways was rarely investigated. This study investigated how inhibiting both glutamine metabolism with 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) and mTOR with rapamycin affects immune cells and the arthritis in a mouse model. We revealed that rapamycin and DON additively suppressed CD4(+) T cell proliferation, and both of them inhibited Th17 cell differentiation. While DON inhibited the differentiation of dendritic cells and macrophages and facilitated that of Ly6G(+) granulocytic (G)-MDSCs more strongly than did rapamycin, G-MDSCs treated with rapamycin but not DON suppressed CD4(+) T cell proliferation in vitro. The combination of rapamycin and DON significantly suppressed the arthritis in SKG mice more strongly than did each monotherapy in vivo. The numbers of CD4(+) T and Th17 cells in the spleen were lowest in mice treated with the combination therapy. Thus, combined treatment with rapamycin and DON additively ameliorated the arthritis in SKG mice, possibly by suppressing CD4(+) T cell proliferation and Th17 differentiation. These results suggest the combination of rapamycin and DON may be a potential novel therapy for arthritis.