APE1/Ref-1 as a Therapeutic Target for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of IBD is increasing with approximately 4.9 million cases reported worldwide. Current therapies are limited due to the severity of side effects and long-term toxicity, therefore, the development of novel IBD treatments is necessitated. Recent findings support apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/reduction-oxidation factor 1 (APE1/Ref-1) as a target in many pathological conditions, including inflammatory diseases, where APE1/Ref-1 regulation of crucial transcription factors impacts significant pathways. Thus, a potential target for a novel IBD therapy is the redox activity of the multifunctional protein APE1/Ref-1. This review elaborates on the status of conventional IBD treatments, the role of an APE1/Ref-1 in intestinal inflammation, and the potential of a small molecule inhibitor of APE1/Ref-1 redox activity to modulate inflammation, oxidative stress response, and enteric neuronal damage in IBD.

Automated summary

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of IBD is increasing worldwide, calling for the development of new treatments. APE1/Ref-1 has been identified as a potential target for IBD therapy due to its role in regulating crucial pathways in inflammatory diseases. This review discusses the current status of IBD treatments, the role of APE1/Ref-1 in intestinal inflammation, and the potential of small molecule inhibitors to modulate inflammation and oxidative stress in IBD.