Anti-Acidification and Immune Regulation by Nano-Ceria-Loaded Mg–Al Layered Double Hydroxide for Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease featuring an abnormal immune microenvironment and resultant accumulation of hydrogen ions (H⁺) produced by activated osteoclasts (OCs). Currently, clinic RA therapy can hardly achieve sustained or efficient therapeutic outcomes due to the failures in generating sufficient immune modulation and manipulating the accumulation of H⁺ that deteriorates bone damage. Herein, a highly effective immune modulatory nanocatalytic platform, nanoceria-loaded magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxide (LDH-CeO₂), is proposed for enhanced immune modulation based on acid neutralization and metal ion inherent bioactivity. Specifically, the mild alkaline LDH initiates significant M2 repolarization of macrophages triggered by the elevated antioxidation effect of CeO₂ via neutralizing excessive H⁺ in RA microenvironment, thus resulting in the efficient recruitment of regulatory T cell (Treg) and suppressions on T helper 17 cell (Th 17) and plasma cells. Moreover, the osteogenic activity is stimulated by the Mg ion released from LDH, thereby promoting the damaged bone healing. The encouraging therapeutic outcomes in adjuvant-induced RA model mice demonstrate the high feasibility of such a therapeutic concept, which provides a novel and efficient RA therapeutic modality by the immune modulatory and bone-repairing effects of inorganic nanocatalytic material.