Using systems medicine to identify a therapeutic agent with potential for repurposing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

ObjectiveInflammatory bowel diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality. Aberrant NF-κB signalling is strongly associated with these conditions, and several established drugs influence the NF-κB signalling network to exert their effect. This study aimed to identify drugs which alter NF-κB signalling and may be repositioned for use in inflammatory bowel disease.DesignThe SysmedIBD consortium established a novel drug-repurposing pipeline based on a combination of in-silico drug discovery and biological assays targeted at demonstrating an impact on NF-kappaB signalling, and a murine model of IBD.ResultsThe drug discovery algorithm identified several drugs already established in IBD, including corticosteroids. The highest-ranked drug was the macrolide antibiotic Clarithromycin, which has previously been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects in aseptic conditions.Clarithromycin’s effects were validated in several experiments: it influenced NF-κB mediated transcription in murine peritoneal macrophages and intestinal enteroids; it suppressed NF-κB protein shuttling in murine reporter enteroids; it suppressed NF-κB (p65) DNA binding in the small intestine of mice exposed to LPS, and it reduced the severity of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice. Clarithromycin also suppressed NF-κB (p65) nuclear translocation in human intestinal enteroids.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate that in-silico drug repositioning algorithms can viably be allied to laboratory validation assays in the context of inflammatory bowel disease; and that further clinical assessment of clarithromycin in the management of inflammatory bowel disease is required.