Human CD14+ monocytes from volunteers before and after a 3 hours, 24 hours and 120 hours-period of methotrexate intake. METOMAC trial

Arthritis patients receive a weekly low-dose of Methotrexate (MTX) as a first-line disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug. Following low-dose administration, MTX typically reaches peak plasma concentrations after 1-2 hours, and almost completely disappears from the circulation by 24 hours. However, the kinetics of the anti-inflammatory action of MTX in monocytes after the initial dose is unknown.To address this issue, we carried out a phase I clinical trial (METOMAC) in which peripheral blood from 6 healthy donors receiving a single dose of MTX was analyzed at distinct time points after drug intake (3 hours, 24 hours, 120 hours). RNA-seq on monocytes isolated at the distinct timepoints was determined.