A benzimidazole inhibitor attenuates sterile inflammation induced in a model of systemic autoinflammation in female mice

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 21;10(1):12100. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68985-1.

Abstract

Sterile stimuli can trigger inflammatory responses, and in some cases can lead to a variety of acute or chronic diseases. In this study, we hypothesize that a benzimidazole inhibitor may be used as a therapeutic in the treatment of sterile inflammation. In vitro, this inhibitor blocks TLR signalling and inflammatory responses. The benzimidazole inhibitor does not prevent mouse macrophage activation after stimulation with 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane (TMPD, also known as pristane), a hydrocarbon oil that mimics features of sterile inflammation when injected in vivo. However, C57BL/6J female mice treated with the benzimidazole inhibitor exhibited a significant reduction of pristane-dependent induction of splenocyte number and weight. Conversely, no significant difference was observed in males. Using mass spectrometry, we found that the urine of pristane-injected mice contained increased levels of putative markers for several inflammatory diseases, which were reduced by the benzimidazole inhibitor. To study the mechanism, we showed that pristane-injected mice had increased cell free DNA in serum, which was not impacted by inhibitor treatment. However, chemokine release (e.g. MCP-1, RANTES and TARC) was significantly reduced in inhibitor-treated mice. Thus, the benzimidazole inhibitor might be used as a new drug to block the recruitment of immune cells during sterile inflammatory diseases in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzimidazoles / administration & dosage*
  • Benzimidazoles / chemistry
  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacology
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids / drug effects
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Splenomegaly / chemically induced
  • Splenomegaly / drug therapy*
  • Splenomegaly / genetics
  • Splenomegaly / immunology
  • Terpenes / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Benzimidazoles
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids
  • Cytokines
  • Terpenes
  • pristane