Activation of A2A adenosine receptor attenuates intestinal inflammation in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease

Background & Aims: Adenosine has been implicated as an important regulator of the inflammatory response. Four subtypes of adenosine receptors (A(1), A(2A), A(2B), and A(3)) have been described, of which A(2A) potentially inhibits inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of A(2A) in mucosal inflammation by administering a selective A(2A) agonist (ATL-146e) to experimental models of inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: The anti-inflammatory effects of ATL-146e were studied in the acute and chronic rabbit formalin-immune complex models of colitis and the SAMP1/YitFc mouse model of spontaneous ileitis. Results: ATL-146e significantly reduced the acute inflammatory index and tissue necrosis compared with vehicle (P < .01) in the acute model of rabbit immune colitis. In the chronic rabbit immune colitis model, ATL-146e significantly suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration into the colonic mucosa (P < .05) and prevented mortality. The administration of ATL-146e significantly decreased the chronic inflammatory index (P < .01) and villus distortion index (P < .01) in the ileum of SAMP1/YitFc mice, and ameliorated adoptively transferred ileitis in severe combined immunodeficient mice injected with CD4(+) T cells from SAMP-1/yit mice (P < .05). Tumor necrosis factor, interferon gamma, and interleukin 4 concentrations were significantly suppressed by ATL-146e treatment in supernatants from cultures of mesenteric lymph node cells of SAMP1/YitFc mice (P < .05 vs vehicle-treated mice). Conclusions: A(2A) adenosine receptor activation by ATIL-146e significantly reduced inflammation in the intestinal mucosa. This effect was associated with decreased leukocyte infiltration and inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines. Activation of A(2A) by selective agonism may therefore serve as a novel therapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.