VBP15, a novel anti-inflammatory, is effective at reducing the severity of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system characterized by an autoimmune inflammatory reaction that leads to axonal demyelination and tissue damage. Glucocorticoids, such as prednisolone, are effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis in large part due to their ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory pathways (e.g., NFκB). However, despite their effectiveness, long-term treatment is limited by adverse side effects. VBP15 is a recently described compound synthesized based on the lazeroid steroidal backbone that shows activity in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, yet displays a much-reduced side effect profile compared to traditional glucocorticoids. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of VBP15 in inhibiting inflammation and disease progression in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a widely used mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Our data show that VBP15 is effective at reducing both disease onset and severity. In parallel studies, we observed that VBP15 was able to inhibit the production of NFκB-regulated pro-inflammatory transcripts in human macrophages. Furthermore, treatment with prednisolone-but not VBP15-increased expression of genes associated with bone loss and muscle atrophy, suggesting lack of side effects of VBP15. These findings suggest that VBP15 may represent a potentially safer alternative to traditional glucocorticoids in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases.
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Blythe C
BC
Dillingham
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.|Department of Integrative Systems Biology, Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Susan M
SM
Knoblach
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Gina M
GM
Many
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Brennan T
BT
Harmon
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Amanda M
AM
Mullen
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Christopher R
CR
Heier
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Luca
L
Bello
PharMac LLC, Boca Grande, FL, 33921, USA.|ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
John M
JM
McCall
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.|Department of Integrative Systems Biology, Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.|ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
Eric P
EP
Hoffman
ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
Edward M
EM
Connor
Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.|Department of Integrative Systems Biology, Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.|ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
Kanneboyina
K
Nagaraju
ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
Erica K M
EKM
Reeves
ReveraGen BioPharma, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA. Jesse.Damsker@reveragen.com.
Jesse M
JM
Damsker
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011244:Pregnadienediols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011244:Pregnadienediols; C584811:VBP15 compound