Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41732989›Full record

ArticleACS biomaterials science & engineering2026

Intra-articular Methotrexate-Loaded Microsponge as an Adjuvant Strategy for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Localized Treatment with a Systemic Impact.

Patrizia Nadia Hanieh, Noemi Fiaschini, Anna Scotto d'Abusco, Alessia Mariano, Valeria Palumbo, Manuel Scimeca, Mariano Venanzi, Francesca Cavalieri, Carlo Abbate, Maurizio Mattei and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in ACS biomaterials science & engineering, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

14 authors.

Patrizia Nadia HaniehNanofaber S.r.l., Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3278-8376
Noemi FiaschiniNanofaber S.r.l., Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy.
Anna Scotto d'AbuscoDepartment of Biochemical Sciences Alessandro Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3323-6015
Alessia MarianoDepartment of Biochemical Sciences Alessandro Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9569-8952
Valeria PalumboDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.
Manuel ScimecaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.
Mariano VenanziDepartment of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9364-7441
Francesca CavalieriDepartment of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Carlo AbbateInterdepartmental Center for Comparative Medicine, Alternative Techniques and Aquaculture (CIMETA), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.
Maurizio MatteiInterdepartmental Center for Comparative Medicine, Alternative Techniques and Aquaculture (CIMETA), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.
Luigi GentileDepartment of Chemistry, University of Bari and CSGI (Center for Colloid and Surface Science), via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6854-2963
Antonio RinaldiNanofaber S.r.l., Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy.
Roberta BernardiniDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1675-0645
Alberto MiglioreSan Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Via Cassia 600, 00189 Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. Methotrexate (MTX) remains the gold standard in RA therapy, yet systemic administration often provides suboptimal joint targeting and causes dose-limiting toxicity. This study investigates intra-articular (IA) administration of an MTX-loaded Microsponge (MTX-MSP) as a localized strategy to enhance drug retention while minimizing systemic exposure. MTX-MSP is synthesized using hyaluronic acid-based cross-linking and MTX loading. Drug release and carrier mass loss were evaluated in a pathological human synovial fluid (HSF), and rheological and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses assess viscoelastic behavior and drug-carrier interactions. Biocompatibility and anti-inflammatory activity are tested in primary RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes, while therapeutic efficacy is evaluated in a collagen-induced arthritis rat model. MTX-MSP provides sustained release in HSF for 14 days, minimizes burst effects, and preserves structural integrity. Rheological profiling confirms injectability and interaction with the pathological synovial fluid, enhancing the elastic response.

Indexed as

Antirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidDrug CarriersMethotrexateAnimalsArthritis, ExperimentalHumansHyaluronic AcidInjections, Intra-ArticularMaleRatsSynovial FluidAntirheumatic AgentsDrug CarriersHyaluronic AcidMethotrexateadvanced therapiesintra-articular deliverymicrospongespathological synovial fluidrheumatoid arthritissustained release

Identifiers

PMID41732989
PMCPMC12976990

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Registered trials

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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.