In vitro investigation of integrin-receptor antagonist-induced vascular toxicity in the mouse

Emerging therapeutic opportunities for integrin inhibitors

Integrins are cell adhesion and signalling proteins crucial to a wide range of biological functions. Effective marketed treatments have successfully targeted integrins αIIbβ3, α4β7/α4β1 and αLβ2 for cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease/multiple sclerosis and dry eye disease, respectively. Yet, clinical development of others, notably within the RGD-binding subfamily of αv integrins, including αvβ3, have faced significant challenges in the fields of cancer, ophthalmology and osteoporosis. New inhibitors of the related integrins αvβ6 and αvβ1 have recently come to the fore and are being investigated clinically for the treatment of fibrotic diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The design of integrin drugs may now be at a turning point, with opportunities to learn from previous clinical trials, to explore new modalities and to incorporate new findings in pharmacological and structural biology. This Review intertwines research from biological, clinical and medicinal chemistry disciplines to discuss historical and current RGD-binding integrin drug discovery, with an emphasis on small-molecule inhibitors of the αv integrins.

Integrins are key signalling molecules that are present on the surface of subsets of cells and are therefore good potential therapeutic targets. In this Review, Hatley and colleagues discuss the development of integrin inhibitors, particularly the challenges in developing inhibitors for integrins that contain an αv-subunit, and suggest how these challenges could be addressed.

SB-273005, an antagonist of αvβ3 integrin, reduces the production of Th2 cells and cytokine IL-10 in pregnant mice

Pregnancy is associated with complex immunoreactions. In the present study, the effect of SB-273005, an antagonist of αvβ3 integrin, on the alterations of T helper (Th) cells and their derived cytokines that occur during pregnancy was investigated in mice. Five non-pregnant mice were used as a negative control. Mice were impregnated by co-housing females and males at a ratio of 2:1 overnight and pregnancy was confirmed by the appearance of vaginal plugs the following morning. Day 1 (D1) pregnant mice were randomly divided into two groups (n=20) and were administered either dimethylsulfoxide (mock treatment) or SB-273005 (3 mg/kg) by gavage at D3, D4 and D5. At D8, the levels of Th1 and Th2 cells and interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 in the spleen and peripheral blood were determined using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pregnancy significantly increased the ratio of Th2:Th1 cells in the spleen compared with that in non-pregnant mice (P<0.01). However, this increase was significantly reduced by SB-273005 (P<0.001). Furthermore, whilst pregnancy decreased Th1 cell-produced IL-2 levels and increased Th2 cell-derived IL-10 levels, SB-273005 reversed both processes (P<0.05 for IL-2; P<0.01 for IL-10). The results from the present study demonstrated that pregnancy induces changes in the spleen, including a reduction of IL-2 and an increase in IL-10 production by Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively, as well as an upregulation of the Th2:Th1 ratio in the spleen. These immunological changes are reversed by SB-273005, indicating an important role for αvβ3 integrin in mediating these immunological alterations.