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Pillai M, Lafortune P, Dabo A, Yu H, Park SS, Taluru H, Ahmed H, Bobrow D, Sattar Z, Jundi B, Reece J, Ortega RR, Soto B, Yewedalsew S, Foronjy R, Wyman A, Geraghty P, Ohlmeyer M. Small-Molecule Activation of Protein Phosphatase 2A Counters Bleomycin-Induced Fibrosis in Mice. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1659-1672. [PMID: 37974628 PMCID: PMC10644462 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a serine-threonine phosphatase, is reduced in the lung fibroblasts of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients. The objective of this study was to determine whether the reactivation of PP2A could reduce fibrosis and preserve the pulmonary function in a bleomycin (BLM) mouse model. Here, we present a new class of direct small-molecule PP2A activators, diarylmethyl-pyran-sulfonamide, exemplified by ATUX-1215. ATUX-1215 has improved metabolic stability and bioavailability compared to our previously described PP2A activators. Primary human lung fibroblasts were exposed to ATUX-1215 and an older generation PP2A activator in combination with TGFβ. ATUX-1215 treatment enhanced the PP2A activity, reduced the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK, and reduced the TGFβ-induced expression of ACTA2, FN1, COL1A1, and COL3A1. C57BL/6J mice were administered 5 mg/kg ATUX-1215 daily following intratracheal instillation of BLM. Three weeks later, forced oscillation and expiratory measurements were performed using the Scireq Flexivent System. ATUX-1215 prevented BLM-induced lung physiology changes, including the preservation of normal PV loop, compliance, tissue elastance, and forced vital capacity. PP2A activity was enhanced with ATUX-1215 and reduced collagen deposition within the lungs. ATUX-1215 also prevented the BLM induction of Acta2, Ccn2, and Fn1 gene expression. Treatment with ATUX-1215 reduced the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, JNK, and Akt and the secretion of IL-12p70, GM-CSF, and IL1α in BLM-treated animals. Delayed treatment with ATUX-1215 was also observed to slow the progression of lung fibrosis. In conclusion, our study indicates that the decrease in PP2A activity, which occurs in fibroblasts from the lungs of IPF subjects, could be restored with ATUX-1215 administration as an antifibrotic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meshach Pillai
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Pascale Lafortune
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Abdoulaye Dabo
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Howard Yu
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Sangmi S. Park
- Department
of Cell Biology, The State University of
New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Harsha Taluru
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Huma Ahmed
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Dylan Bobrow
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Zeeshan Sattar
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Bakr Jundi
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Joshua Reece
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Romy Rodriguez Ortega
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Brian Soto
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Selome Yewedalsew
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Robert Foronjy
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Anne Wyman
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
| | - Patrick Geraghty
- Department
of Medicine, The State University of New
York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
- Department
of Cell Biology, The State University of
New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States
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