Project description:Nintedanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is approved for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) for its ability to slow lung function decline. This study systematically evaluated the effects of nintedanib across three independent treatment intervention studies in the single-dose bleomycin (BLEO) mouse model of IPF. In each study, male C57BL/6J mice received a single intratracheal instillation of BLEO (n=15-18 per study) or saline (n=10 per study) and were randomized and stratified to treatment according to body weight and non-invasive whole-body plethysmography measured seven days after BLEO administration. BLEO-IPF mice were administered (PO, BID) vehicle, nintedanib (50 or 60 mg/kg), or an activin receptor-like kinase 5 inhibitor (ALK5i, SB525334, 60 mg/kg) for up to 21 days. In all studies, nintedanib consistently failed to improve lung health, as evaluated by lung function tests, biochemistry, histology and RNA sequencing. Plasma concentrations of nintedanib showed no correlation to any efficacy endpoint applied. Lung transcriptome signatures in nintedanib-treated BLEO-mice indicated upregulated mRNA expression of p-glycoprotein (P-gp), a known nintedanib efflux transporter, suggesting limited lung bioavailability of nintedanib in the model. In comparison, ALK5i significantly improved lung function and exhibited robust anti-fibrotic efficacy in the model. Collectively, these findings challenge the use of nintedanib as a benchmarking drug in the BLEO-IPF model.
Project description:We found strong protein-protein interactions within these dysregulated genes in nintedanib treated IPF fibroblast, with most genes involved in the pathways of cell cycle, mitotic cell cycle, and cell division. In IPF fibroblasts, we found nintedanib treatment was associated with downregulation of has-miR-92a-1-5p, which might de-repress SLC25A23 expression, and upregulation of has-miR-486-5p, which might repress DDX11, E2F1, and PLXNA4 expressions.
Project description:Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) poses a significant clinical challenge due to its high morbidity and mortality, coupled with a lack of effective targeted therapies. Here, utilizing single-cell transcriptomic analysis, we identified integrin and CD44 as markedly upregulated in injured alveolar type II cells and myofibroblasts, highlighting their potential as pathological delivery targets in AE-IPF. Based on these findings, we developed a dual-targeted liposomal nanoplatform (ND-RHL) co-encapsulating nintedanib and dexamethasone, specifically engineered to exploit integrin/CD44 overexpression for pulmonary precise drug delivery and synergistic anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects. ND-RHL exhibited favorable physicochemical characteristics, efficient dual-drug loading, and selective accumulation in integrin/CD44-high cells both in vitro and in vivo. In a murine model of AE-PF, intratracheal administration of ND-RHL markedly improved survival, mitigated lung inflammation and fibrosis, and preserved pulmonary architecture, with minimal systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, transcriptomic profiling and immune phenotyping demonstrated that ND-RHL reversed AE-induced gene expression patterns and inhibited pivotal signaling pathways, including PI3K–AKT–mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, and NF-κB–PPARγ, thereby orchestrating the remodeling of both immune and extracellular matrix microenvironments. This study presents ND-RHL as a mechanistically informed, cell-targeted nanotherapeutic with robust therapeutic potential and translational promise for the treatment of AE-IPF and related fibrotic lung diseases.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and highly lethal lung disease with unknown etiology and poor prognosis.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an untreatable fibrotic lung disease characterized by fibroblast proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition. The expression and role of microRNAs (miRNA) has not been studied in IPF. Using miRNA expression microarrays we identified 46 differentially expressed miRNA in IPF lungs which included let-7d and the miR-30 family. Keywords: miRNA expression Lung tissue samples for microarray analysis were obtained through the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Tissue Bank. Ten samples were obtained from surgical remnants of biopsies or lungs explanted from patients with IPF who underwent pulmonary transplant, and ten control normal lung tissues obtained from the disease free margins with normal histology of lung cancer resection specimens. The morphologic diagnosis of IPF was based on typical microscopic findings consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia. Total RNA was labeled with Cy3 and hybridized on Agilent 8X15K microRNA array (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA). After 20 hours hybridization, arrays were washed and scanned according to the manufacturerâs protocol.