Protective effect of the novel calcineurin inhibitor voclosporin in experimental colitis

Autor: Aylin Lindemann, Dominik Roth, Kristina Koop, Clemens Neufert, Sebastian Zundler, Raja Atreya, Markus F. Neurath, Moritz Leppkes
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Frontiers in Medicine, Vol 10 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2296-858X
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1177450
Popis: Background and aimsAcute severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis remains a medically challenging condition with frequent need of surgery. It can be treated with the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A with the need for therapeutic drug monitoring and significant toxicity. Recently, a novel calcineurin inhibitor, voclosporin, has been approved for the treatment of lupus nephritis with no need for therapeutic drug monitoring and an improved long-term safety profile. However, the therapeutic effect of voclosporin in acute severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis is still uncertain. We aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of voclosporin to ameliorate inflammation in an experimental model of colitis.MethodsWe used the dextran sodium sulfate-induced model of colitis in C57BL/6 J wildtype mice treated with either cyclosporine A, voclosporin or solvent control. We employed endoscopy, histochemistry, immunofluorescence, bead-based multiplex immunoassays and flow cytometry to study the therapeutic effect of calcineurin inhibitors in a preventive setting.ResultsAcute colitis was induced by dextran sodium sulfate characterized by weight loss, diarrhea, mucosal erosions and rectal bleeding. Both cyclosporine A and voclosporin strongly ameliorated the course of disease and reduced colitis severity in a similar manner.ConclusionVoclosporin was identified as biologically effective in a preclinical model of colitis and may be a potential therapeutic option in treating acute severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals