Cenerimod is a potent, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator currently investigated in a Phase IIb study in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (NCT03742037). S1P1 receptor modulators sequester circulating lymphocytes within lymph nodes, thereby reducing pathogenic autoimmune cells (including T and B lymphocytes) in the bloodstream and inflamed tissues, making them an effective therapeutic concept for autoimmune disorders. Although the effect of S1P receptor modulators in reducing circulating lymphocytes is well documented, the precise molecular role of the S1P1 receptor on these cell types is not fully understood. In this study, the mode of action of cenerimod on human primary lymphocytes in different activation states was investigated focusing on their chemotactic behavior towards S1P in real-time, concomitant to S1P1 receptor expression and internalization dynamics. Here, we show that cenerimod effectively prevents T and B cell migration in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, while T cell activation led to strong S1P1 re-expression and enhanced migration; in B cells, an enhanced migration capacity and S1P1 receptor surface expression was observed in an unstimulated state. Importantly, concomitant treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs), a frequently used treatment for autoimmune disorders, had no impact on the inhibitory activity of cenerimod on lymphocytes.
Keywords: S1P1 receptor modulator; chemotaxis; glucocorticoids; lymphocyte; systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).