J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2024 Jun 04. pii: JPET-AR-2023-001981. [Epub ahead of print]
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) possess anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic properties and are among the most commonly used drugs. Although the cause of NSAID-induced gastric ulcers is well-understood, the mechanism behind small intestinal ulcers remains elusive. In this study, we examined the mechanism through which indomethacin (IM), a prominent NSAID, induces small intestinal ulcers, both in vitro and in vivo In IEC6 cells, a small intestinal epithelial cell line, IM treatment elevated levels of LC3-Ⅱ and p62. These expression levels remained unaltered after treatment with chloroquine or bafilomycin, which are vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) inhibitors. IM treatment reduced the activity of cathepsin B, a lysosomal protein hydrolytic enzyme, and increased the lysosomal pH. There was a notable increase in subcellular co-localization of LC3 with Lamp2, a lysosome marker, post-IM treatment. The increased lysosomal pH and decreased cathepsin B activity were reversed by pretreatment with rapamycin (Rapa) or glucose starvation, both of which stabilize V-ATPase assembly. To validate the in vitro findings in vivo, we established an IM-induced small intestine ulcer mouse model. In this model, we observed multiple ulcerations and heightened inflammation following IM administration. However, pretreatment with Rapa or fasting, which stabilize V-ATPase assembly, mitigated the IM-induced small intestinal ulcers in mice. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that IM binds to V-ATPase in vitro and in vivo These findings suggest that IM induces small intestinal injury through lysosomal dysfunction, likely due to the disassembly of lysosomal V-ATPase caused by direct binding. Moreover, Rapa or starvation can prevent this injury by stabilizing the assembly. Significance Statement This study elucidates the largely unknown mechanisms behind small intestinal ulceration induced by indomethacin and reveals the involvement of lysosomal dysfunction via V-ATPase disassembly. The significance lies in identifying potential preventative interventions, such as rapamycin treatment or glucose starvation, offering pivotal insights that extend beyond NSAID-induced ulcers to broader gastrointestinal pathologies and treatments, thereby providing a foundation for novel therapeutic strategies aimed at a wide array of gastrointestinal disorders.
Keywords: gastrointestinal toxicology; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)