Novel potential agents for ulcerative colitis by molecular topology: suppression of IL-6 production in Caco-2 and RAW 264.7 cell lines

Mol Divers. 2013 Aug;17(3):573-93. doi: 10.1007/s11030-013-9458-6. Epub 2013 Jun 23.

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an immune-mediated chronic and relapsing intestinal inflammatory disease. Interleukin (IL)-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays a key role in the uncontrolled intestinal inflammatory process, which is a main characteristic of UC. In this work, a quantitative structure-activity relationship model based on molecular topology (MT) has been built up to predict the IL-6 mediated anti-UC activity. After an external validation of the model, a virtual screening of the MicroSource Pure Natural Products Collection and Sigma-Aldrich databases was carried out looking for potential new active compounds. From the entire set of compounds labeled as active by the model, four of them, namely alizarin-3-methylimino-N,N-diacetic acid (AMA), Calcein, (+)-dibenzyl-L-tartrate (DLT), and Ro 41-0960, were tested in vitro by determination of IL-6 production in two cell lines (RAW 264.7 and Caco-2). The results demonstrate that three of them were able to significantly reduce IL-6 levels in both cell lines and particularly one, namely Ro 41-0960. These results confirm MT's efficacy as a tool for the selection of compounds potentially active in UC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Benzophenones / chemistry
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / drug therapy*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Fluoresceins / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / biosynthesis*
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Benzophenones
  • Fluoresceins
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Interleukin-6
  • Ro 41-0960
  • fluorexon