Blockade of canonical Wnt signalling ameliorates experimental dermal fibrosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Fibrosis is a major socioeconomic burden, but effective antifibrotic therapies are not available in the clinical routine. There is growing evidence for a central role of Wnt signalling in fibrotic diseases such as systemic sclerosis, and we therefore evaluated the translational potential of pharmacological Wnt inhibition in experimental dermal fibrosis.

METHODS:

We examined the antifibrotic effects of PKF118-310 and ICG-001, two novel inhibitors of downstream canonical Wnt signalling, in the models of prevention and treatment of bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis as well as in experimental dermal fibrosis induced by adenoviral overexpression of a constitutively active transforming growth factor (TGF)-β receptor I.

RESULTS:

PKF118-310 and ICG-001 were well tolerated throughout all experiments. Both therapeutic approaches showed antifibrotic effects in preventing and reversing bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis as measured by skin thickness, hydroxyproline content and myofibroblast counts. PKF118-310 and ICG-001 were effective in inhibiting TGF-β receptor I-driven fibrosis as assessed by the same outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS:

Blockade of canonical Wnt signalling by PKF118-310 and ICG-001 showed antifibrotic effects in different models of skin fibrosis. Both therapies were well tolerated. Although further experimental evidence for efficacy and tolerability is necessary, inhibition of canonical Wnt signalling is a promising treatment approach for fibrosis.

• Authors: Christian Beyer, Helena Reichert, Hümeyra Akan, Tatjana Mallano, Amelie Schramm, Clara Dees, Katrin Palumbo-Zerr, Neng Yu Lin, Alfiya Distler, Kolja Gelse, John Varga, Oliver Distler, Georg Schett, Jörg H W Distler
• Journal: Annals of the rheumatic diseases (Ann Rheum Dis) Vol. 72 Issue 7 Pg. 1255-8 (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1468-2060 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23595143 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
• ICG 001
• PKF118-310
• Pyrimidinones
• Triazines

Topics

• Animals
• Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Fibrosis
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred DBA
• Pyrimidinones (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Scleroderma, Systemic
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Skin (pathology)
• Skin Diseases (drug therapy, pathology, prevention & control)
• Treatment Outcome
• Triazines (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Wnt Signaling Pathway (drug effects)