Discovery of a New Anti-Inflammatory Agent from Anemoside B4 Derivatives and Its Therapeutic Effect on Colitis by Targeting Pyruvate Carboxylase

J Med Chem. 2024 May 9;67(9):7385-7405. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00222. Epub 2024 Apr 30.

Abstract

Anemoside B4 (AB4), a triterpenoidal saponin from Pulsatilla chinensis, shows significant anti-inflammatory activity, and may be used for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nevertheless, its application is limited due to its high molecular weight and pronounced water solubility. To discover new effective agents for treating IBD, we synthesized 28 AB4 derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. Among them, A3-6 exhibited significantly superior anti-inflammatory activity compared to AB4. It showed a significant improvement in the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis in mice, with a notably lower oral effective dose compared to AB4. Furthermore, we discovered that A3-6 bound with pyruvate carboxylase (PC), then inhibited PC activity, reprogramming macrophage function, and alleviated colitis. These findings indicate that A3-6 is a promising therapeutic candidate for colitis, and PC may be a potential new target for treating colitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Colitis* / chemically induced
  • Colitis* / drug therapy
  • Dextran Sulfate
  • Drug Discovery
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pyruvate Carboxylase* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Pyruvate Carboxylase* / metabolism
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Saponins* / chemical synthesis
  • Saponins* / chemistry
  • Saponins* / pharmacology
  • Saponins* / therapeutic use
  • Structure-Activity Relationship