Improvement of NASH and liver fibrosis through modulation of the gut-liver axis by a novel intestinal FXR agonist

Abstract

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of bile acid homeostasis and is involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although FXR agonists effectively alleviate pathological features of NASH, adverse effects such as disturbance of cholesterol homeostasis and occurrence of pruritus remain to be addressed. Here, we identified a novel FXR agonist, ID119031166 (ID166), and explored the pharmacological benefits of ID166 in the treatment of NASH. ID166, a potent and selective non-bile acid FXR agonist, exhibits preferential distribution in the intestine and shows no agonist activity against potential itch receptors including Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X4 (MRGPRX4). Interestingly, ID166 significantly attenuated total nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity and liver fibrosis in a free choice diet-induced NASH hamster model. In addition, ID166 drastically modulated the relative abundance of five gut microbes and reduced the increase in plasma total bile acid levels to normal levels in NASH hamsters. Moreover, long-term treatment with ID166 significantly improved key histological features of NASH and liver fibrosis in a diet-induced NASH mouse model. In the NASH mouse livers, RNA-seq analysis revealed that ID166 reduced the gene expression changes associated with both NASH and liver fibrosis. Notably, ID166 exhibited no substantial effects on scratching behavior and serum IL-31 levels in mice. Our findings suggest that ID166, a novel FXR agonist with improved pharmacological properties, provides a preclinical basis to optimize clinical benefits for NASH drug development.

Keywords: Bile acid; FXR; Gut; Microbiota; NASH; Pruritus.