Platelet‑rich plasma promotes the migration and invasion of synovial fibroblasts in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is blood plasma that has been enriched with platelets, and the number of platelets is correlated with rheumatoid activity. PRP is a concentrated source of autologous platelets, and contains several different growth factors and cytokines, including platelet‑derived growth factor, transforming growth factor‑β and insulin‑like growth factor‑1, which stimulate healing of bone and soft tissue. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by synovial hyperplasia, cell activation, articular inflammation and invasion of the synovium into the adjacent bone and cartilage. The adhesion of fibroblast‑like synoviocytes (FLSs) onto the extracellular matrix (ECM), migration and invasion are important for the erosion and destruction of the articular cartilage of patients with RA. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PRP on the adhesion, migration and invasion of RA‑FLSs. Scratch and Transwell migration assays determined that PRP at a concentration of 2 and 5% significantly enhanced the migration ability of RA‑FLSs. Treatment of RA‑FLSs with 2 and 5% PRP promoted the adhesion and invasion of the cells. Additionally, the immunofluorescence assay revealed that PRP induced a decrease in the number of centrally located stress fibers and led to an increase in the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia in the detectable leading edge protrusions in RA‑FLSs. In addition, reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis determined that PRP upregulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase‑1 (MMP‑1). In conclusion, the promotion of RA‑FLS cell migration, invasion and adhesion on the ECM by PRP may be modulated through the upregulation of MMP‑1 expression and the induction of actin cytoskeletal reorganization.