Tuned Cationic Dendronized Polymer as a Molecular Scavenger for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Cell free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) released from dead or damaged cells serves as a key autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They could be recognized by nucleic acid (NA) sensors like toll‐like receptor (TLR), leading to activation of the innate immune system and chronic inflammation. Herein, we develop a cationic molecular scavenger through a screening of cationic dendronized polymers, which could eliminate the cfDNA and inhibit the TLR recognition and nucleic acid‐induced inflammation. The structure‐property study demonstrates that toxicity, NA binding capacity and biodistribution could be balanced to achieve maximum therapeutic effect with exquisite control of molecular structure. In addition, the optimized cationic polymer effectively inhibited the joint swelling, synovial hyperplasia and bone destruction in collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. The results supported that the synthetic polymers offer new paradigm for autoimmune disease treatment.

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