Molecular docking and in vitro evaluation of glucosamine sulfate targeting MMP-3, MMP-9, and IL-4 for potential osteoarthritis treatment

Objectives: This study intended to investigate the potential of glucosamine sulfate (GS) as an inhibitor of genes involved in osteoarthritis (OA) development. Despite GS is often used for OA treatment due to its cartilage preservation and minimum side effects, the molecular mechanism behind its interactions remains unknown.

Methods: Molecular docking was conducted to analyze the interactions between glucosamine sulfate and genes associated with OA such as matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), MMP-9, and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Additionally, a cell viability assay using RAW 264.7 cells was performed to evaluate the toxicity of glucosamine sulfate at various concentrations.

Results: Molecular docking results revealed that glucosamine sulfate has a good binding affinity and stable interactions with MMP-3, MMP-9, and IL-4, indicating that it may have inhibitory effects on targeted genes. Nevertheless, the cell viability assay analysis demonstrated that glucosamine sulfate had considerable toxic effects in RAW 264.7 cells at highest concentrations.

Conclusions: Glucosamine sulfate exhibited stable molecular interactions with genes associated to OA development. However, GS toxicity at high concentrations necessitates future research studies to optimize dosing and assess its therapeutic safety in OA treatment.