Modulation of human lung fibroblast functions by ciclesonide: evidence for its conversion into the active metabolite desisobutyryl-ciclesonide.
BACKGROUND
Ciclesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid administered as inactive compound with almost no binding affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor, is clinically effective in asthma being converted by airway epithelial cells into its active metabolite desisobutyryl-(des)-ciclesonide.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether ciclesonide could directly modulate in vitro bronchial fibroblast functions being converted into des-ciclesonide by these pluripotent cells involved in the regulation of airway inflammation and remodelling.


METHODS
Ciclesonide (0.09-9.0 microM) was added to a human adult lung fibroblast cell line (CCL-202), seeded in medium in the presence of the following cytokines and growth factors: (a) basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for cell proliferation, measured by tritiated thymidine ([3H]TdR) incorporation; (b) tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, to stimulate intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and eotaxin release, evaluated by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively; (c) transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, for induction of alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) protein expression and modification of the organization of alpha-SMA stress fibres, evaluated by Western blot analysis and fluorescence microscopy.


RESULTS
The presence of ciclesonide in cell cultures induced a significant downregulation of: (a) bFGF-induced fibroblast proliferation and TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 expression, at the 0.3-9.0 microM concentrations (p<0.05); (b) TNF-alpha-induced MCP-1 release, at all the concentrations tested (p<0.05); (c) TNF-alpha-induced eotaxin release, at the three highest concentrations (0.9-9.0 microM) (p<0.05); (d) TGF-beta1-induced of alpha-SMA protein expression at the 0.3-3.0 microM concentrations, associated with a reduction in the organization of alpha-SMA stress fibres.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show at cellular level an effective anti-inflammatory activity of ciclesonide on human lung fibroblasts and support the hypothesis that also these cells, in addition to airway epithelial cells, may be involved in converting the parental compound into its active metabolite in the airways.
Boero
Silvia
S
Pulmonary Disease Unit, G. Gaslini Institute, Largo G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genoa, Italy.
Sabatini
Federica
F
Silvestri
Michela
M
Petecchia
Loredana
L
Nachira
Antonio
A
Pezzolo
Annalisa
A
Scarso
Lucia
L
Rossi
Giovanni A
GA
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001711:Biotransformation; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C515456:CCL11 protein, human; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D011282:Pregnenediones; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C494355:desisobutyrylciclesonide; C120481:ciclesonide