Prostacyclin agonist with thromboxane synthase inhibitory activity (ONO-1301) attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2006 Jan;290(1):L59-65. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00042.2005. Epub 2005 Sep 9.

Abstract

The balance between prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) plays an important role in pulmonary homeostasis. However, little information is available regarding the therapeutic potency of these prostanoids for pulmonary fibrosis. We have recently developed ONO-1301, a novel long-acting prostacyclin agonist with thromboxane synthase inhibitory activity. Thus we investigated whether repeated administration of ONO-1301 attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. After intratracheal injection of bleomycin or saline, mice were randomized to receive repeated subcutaneous administration of ONO-1301 or vehicle. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and histological analyses were performed at 3, 7, and 14 days after bleomycin injection. In vitro studies using mouse lung fibroblasts were also performed. ONO-1301 significantly attenuated the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, as indicated by significant decreases in Ashcroft score and lung hydroxyproline content. ONO-1301 significantly reduced total cell count, neutrophil count, and total protein level in BAL fluid in association with a marked reduction of TXB2. A single administration of ONO-1301 significantly increased plasma cAMP level for >2 h. In vitro, ONO-1301 and a cAMP analog dose-dependently reduced cell proliferation in mouse lung fibroblasts. The reduction in cell proliferation by ONO-1301 was attenuated by a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. Furthermore, bleomycin mice treated with ONO-1301 had a significantly higher survival rate than those given vehicle. These results suggest that repeated administration of ONO-1301 attenuates the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and improves survival in bleomycin mice, at least in part by inhibition of TXA2 synthesis and activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bleomycin
  • Cyclic AMP / blood
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Epoprostenol / agonists*
  • Female
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / drug effects
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pneumonia / chemically induced
  • Pneumonia / prevention & control
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / prevention & control*
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Thromboxane A2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Thromboxane-A Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / drug effects
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Bleomycin
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • ONO 1301
  • Thromboxane A2
  • Epoprostenol
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Thromboxane-A Synthase