Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40016725›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2025

MTHFD2 promotes osteoclastogenesis and bone loss in rheumatoid arthritis by enhancing CKMT1-mediated oxidative phosphorylation.

Yujing Li, Minglong Cai, Yi Qin, Xiaojuan Dai, Liyuan Liang, Zhenyu Li, Xi Wen, Huizhi Jin, Chao Yang, Zhu Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Bone organoids and mitochondrial reprogramming.Journal of orthopaedic translation · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. MTHFD2: a promising metabolic checkpoint for diseases.Journal of translational medicine · 2026
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yujing LiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Minglong CaiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Yi QinDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Xiaojuan DaiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Liyuan LiangThe MED-X Institute, Center for Cancer Precision Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an, 710000, China.
Zhenyu LiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Xi WenDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Huizhi JinDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
Chao Yang *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology and The MED-X institute, Center for Immunological and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an, 710000, China. ychmax@xjtufh.edu.cn.
Zhu Chen *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China. doczchen@ustc.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by disrupted bone homeostasis. This study investigated the effect and underlying mechanisms of one-carbon metabolism enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2) on osteoclast differentiation and bone loss in RA.

methodsThe expression of MTHFD2 was examined in CD14 + monocytes and murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). RNA-sequencing was performed to evaluate the regulatory mechanisms of MTHFD2 on osteoclastogenesis. Extracellular flux assay, JC-1 staining, and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect mitochondrial function and energy metabolism changes during osteoclast formation. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of MTHFD2 knockdown on bone loss. Bone volume and osteoclast counts were quantified by μCT and histomorphometry.

resultsElevated MTHFD2 was observed in RA patients and CIA mice with a positive correlation to bone resorption parameters. During osteoclast formation, MTHFD2 was significantly upregulated in both human CD14 + monocytes and murine BMMs. The application of MTHFD2 inhibitor and MTHFD2 knockdown suppressed osteoclastogenesis, while MTHFD2 overexpression promoted osteoclast differentiation in vitro. RNA-sequencing revealed that MTHFD2 inhibition blocked oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in osteoclasts, leading to decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and mitochondrial membrane potential without affecting mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistically, inhibition of MTHFD2 downregulated the expression of mitochondrial creatine kinase 1 (CKMT1), which in turn affected phosphocreatine energy shuttle and OXPHOS during osteoclastogenesis. Further, a therapeutic strategy to knock down MTHFD2 in knee joint in vivo ameliorated bone loss in CIA mice.

conclusionsOur findings demonstrate that MTHFD2 is upregulated in RA with relation to joint destruction. MTHFD2 promotes osteoclast differentiation and arthritic bone erosion by enhancing mitochondrial energy metabolism through CKMT1. Thus, targeting MTHFD2 may provide a potential new therapeutic strategy for tackling osteoclastogenesis and bone loss in RA.

Indexed as

AminohydrolasesArthritis, RheumatoidBone ResorptionMethylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NADP)Multifunctional EnzymesOsteoclastsOsteogenesisOxidative PhosphorylationAnimalsArthritis, ExperimentalCell DifferentiationHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred DBAMitochondriaAminohydrolasesMethylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NADP)MTHFD2 protein, humanMultifunctional EnzymesMethylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2Osteoclast differentiationOxidative phosphorylationRheumatoid arthritis

Identifiers

PMID40016725
PMCPMC11866863

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.