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Kondo M, Suzuki T, Kawano Y, Kojima S, Miyashiro M, Matsumoto A, Kania G, Błyszczuk P, Ross RL, Mulipa P, Del Galdo F, Zhang Y, Distler JHW. Dersimelagon, a novel oral melanocortin 1 receptor agonist, demonstrates disease-modifying effects in preclinical models of systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:210. [PMID: 36050717 PMCID: PMC9434962 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02899-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Activation of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is known to exert broad anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of dersimelagon, a novel oral MC1R agonist, as a therapeutic agent for systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods The effects of dersimelagon phosphoric acid (MT-7117) on skin fibrosis and lung inflammation were evaluated in bleomycin (BLM)-induced SSc murine models that were optimized for prophylactic and therapeutic evaluation. Microarray-based gene expression analysis and serum protein profiling were performed in the BLM-induced SSc models. The effect of MT-7117 on transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced activation of human dermal fibroblasts was evaluated in vitro. Immunohistochemical analyses of MC1R expression in the skin of SSc patients were performed. Results Prophylactic treatment with MT-7117 (≥ 0.3 mg/kg/day p.o.) significantly inhibited skin fibrosis and lung inflammation, and therapeutic treatment with MT-7117 (≥ 3 mg/kg/day p.o.) significantly suppressed the development of skin fibrosis in the BLM-induced SSc models. Gene array analysis demonstrated that MT-7117 exerts an anti-inflammatory effect via suppression of the activation of inflammatory cells and inflammation-related signals; additionally, vascular dysfunction was extracted as the pathology targeted by MT-7117. Serum protein profiling revealed that multiple SSc-related biomarkers including P-selectin, osteoprotegerin, cystatin C, growth and differentiation factor-15, and S100A9 were suppressed by MT-7117. MT-7117 inhibited the activation of human dermal fibroblasts by suppressing TGF-β-induced ACTA2 (encoding α-smooth muscle actin) mRNA elevation. MC1R was expressed by monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils, blood vessels (endothelial cells), fibroblasts, and epidermis (keratinocytes) in the skin of SSc patients, suggesting that these MC1R-positive cells could be targets for MT-7117. Conclusions MT-7117 demonstrates disease-modifying effects in preclinical models of SSc. Investigations of its mechanism of action and target expression analyses indicate that MT-7117 exerts its positive effect by affecting inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and fibrosis, which are all key pathologies of SSc. The results of the present study suggest that MT-7117 is a potential therapeutic agent for SSc. A phase 2 clinical trial investigating the efficacy and tolerability of MT-7117 in patients with early, progressive diffuse cutaneous SSc is currently in progress. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02899-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Kondo
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan.
| | - Tsuyoshi Suzuki
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan
| | - Yuko Kawano
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan
| | - Shinji Kojima
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan
| | - Masahiko Miyashiro
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan
| | - Atsuhiro Matsumoto
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 227-0033, Japan
| | - Gabriela Kania
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Przemysław Błyszczuk
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca L Ross
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.,NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK
| | - Panji Mulipa
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.,NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK
| | - Francesco Del Galdo
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.,NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Darrigade AS, Vedie AL, Gauthier C, Cario-André M, Taieb A, Truchetet ME, Constans J, Seneschal J. Pigmented skin patches without scleroderma as a predominant clinical symptom revealing systemic sclerosis. Clin Exp Dermatol 2015; 41:379-82. [PMID: 27171356 DOI: 10.1111/ced.12752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Skin induration remains the major clinical symptom of systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease with potentially life-threatening visceral involvement. However, skin induration can be absent in some patients, making the diagnosis difficult to confirm and leading to delay in management. Skin pigmentation abnormalities have been reported in patients with SSc, and can be important to recognize for diagnosis. We report two patients who developed hyperpigmented skin patches without any sign of scleroderma, as a major clinical skin symptom of incipient SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Darrigade
- Department of Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, National Centre for Rare Skin Disorders, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France
| | - A L Vedie
- Department of Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, National Centre for Rare Skin Disorders, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France
| | - C Gauthier
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France
| | - M Cario-André
- INSERM U1035, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - A Taieb
- Department of Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, National Centre for Rare Skin Disorders, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France.,INSERM U1035, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - M E Truchetet
- Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France
| | - J Constans
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France
| | - J Seneschal
- Department of Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, National Centre for Rare Skin Disorders, Hôpital Saint André, Bordeaux, France.,INSERM U1035, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Lee AY, Noh M. The regulation of epidermal melanogenesis via cAMP and/or PKC signaling pathways: insights for the development of hypopigmenting agents. Arch Pharm Res 2013; 36:792-801. [PMID: 23604723 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-013-0130-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 04/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal pigmentation, particularly hyperpigmentation, is major issue of concern for people with colored skin. Several hypopigmenting agents, which exert their action by inhibiting tyrosinase activity and/or transcription, have been used for treatment. However, results have been discouraging. To manage abnormal pigmentation properly, the mechanisms of melanogenesis should be understood. Endogenous and exogenous factors affect melanogenesis via intracellular machineries. cAMP and PKC are critical factors of important transduction pathways and cross-talk between them could amplify the melanogenic effect. Here, factors involved in melanogenesis regulation via cAMP and/or PKC pathways are reviewed with their action mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Young Lee
- Department of Dermatology, Dongguk University Seoul, Graduate School of Medicine, 814 Siksa-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 410-773, South Korea.
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