The peripheral cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonist VD60 efficiently inhibits carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated hepatic fibrosis progression

Abstract

This study investigated a peripheral selective CB1 antagonist 3,4,22-3-demethoxycarbonyl-3-hydroxylmethyl-4-deacetyl-vindoline 3,4-thionocarbonate (VD60) that efficiently inhibited hepatic fibrosis with lower psychological side effects. A competitive radiolabeled ligand binding experiment and 3′-5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-driven luciferase analysis were performed to evaluate the antagonistic activity of VD60. Cell viability and collagen production were examined in the human hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX-2 and primary cultured rat HSCs. The antifibrotic effects of VD60 were investigated in a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. The concentration of VD60 in the blood and the brain was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrum analysis. Furthermore, the potential underlying mechanisms of VD60 were investigated by Western blot. VD60 selectively competed with the radiolabeled CB1 agonist to bind to CB1. VD60 antagonized CB1 agonist-induced Akt phosphorylation and increased the accumulation of intracellular cAMP. VD60 strongly reduced the expression of α2(I) pro-collagen mRNA and exerted potent antiproliferative effects on primary HSCs and LX-2 cells. The inhibition of reactive oxygen species production and phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Smad3 may explain the underlying mechanisms behind the antiproliferative effect of VD60. Moreover, the in vivo antifibrotic activity of VD60 was confirmed in a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. Most importantly, the concentration of VD60 in the peripheral blood was much higher than in the brain, suggesting that VD60 could act as a novel peripheral CB1 antagonist to efficiently inhibit hepatic fibrosis and could be used as a lead compound with low brain side effects in peripheral antifibrotic agents.