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Decaris ML, Schaub JR, Chen C, Cha J, Lee GG, Rexhepaj M, Ho SS, Rao V, Marlow MM, Kotak P, Budi EH, Hooi L, Wu J, Fridlib M, Martin SP, Huang S, Chen M, Muñoz M, Hom TF, Wolters PJ, Desai TJ, Rock F, Leftheris K, Morgans DJ, Lepist EI, Andre P, Lefebvre EA, Turner SM. Dual inhibition of α vβ 6 and α vβ 1 reduces fibrogenesis in lung tissue explants from patients with IPF. Respir Res 2021; 22:265. [PMID: 34666752 PMCID: PMC8524858 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01863-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE αv integrins, key regulators of transforming growth factor-β activation and fibrogenesis in in vivo models of pulmonary fibrosis, are expressed on abnormal epithelial cells (αvβ6) and fibroblasts (αvβ1) in fibrotic lungs. OBJECTIVES We evaluated multiple αv integrin inhibition strategies to assess which most effectively reduced fibrogenesis in explanted lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS Selective αvβ6 and αvβ1, dual αvβ6/αvβ1, and multi-αv integrin inhibitors were characterized for potency, selectivity, and functional activity by ligand binding, cell adhesion, and transforming growth factor-β cell activation assays. Precision-cut lung slices generated from lung explants from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or bleomycin-challenged mouse lungs were treated with integrin inhibitors or standard-of-care drugs (nintedanib or pirfenidone) and analyzed for changes in fibrotic gene expression or TGF-β signaling. Bleomycin-challenged mice treated with dual αvβ6/αvβ1 integrin inhibitor, PLN-74809, were assessed for changes in pulmonary collagen deposition and Smad3 phosphorylation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Inhibition of integrins αvβ6 and αvβ1 was additive in reducing type I collagen gene expression in explanted lung tissue slices from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. These data were replicated in fibrotic mouse lung tissue, with no added benefit observed from inhibition of additional αv integrins. Antifibrotic efficacy of dual αvβ6/αvβ1 integrin inhibitor PLN-74809 was confirmed in vivo, where dose-dependent inhibition of pulmonary Smad3 phosphorylation and collagen deposition was observed. PLN-74809 also, more potently, reduced collagen gene expression in fibrotic human and mouse lung slices than clinically relevant concentrations of nintedanib or pirfenidone. CONCLUSIONS In the fibrotic lung, dual inhibition of integrins αvβ6 and αvβ1 offers the optimal approach for blocking fibrogenesis resulting from integrin-mediated activation of transforming growth factor-β.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chun Chen
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Cha
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gail G Lee
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Steve S Ho
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vikram Rao
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Prerna Kotak
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erine H Budi
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Hooi
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jianfeng Wu
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Shaoyi Huang
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ming Chen
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Manuel Muñoz
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Paul J Wolters
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tushar J Desai
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - David J Morgans
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Maze Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Patrick Andre
- Pliant Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Acceleron Pharma, Cambridge, MA, USA
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