The antipsychotic drug pimozide inhibits IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation and migration

  • Int Immunopharmacol. 2020 Jul;84:106500. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106500.
Yi-Bo Hou  1 ,  Li-Na Zhang  1 ,  Hui-Na Wang  1 ,  Zhen-Fu Zhao  2 ,  Yue-Tong Sun  1 ,  Kunmei Ji  3 ,  Jia-Jie Chen  4
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
  • 2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 32311669 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106500
Abstract

Background: Mast cells (MCs) mediate a key role in allergic diseases. Detailed studies of how the neuroleptic drug pimozide affects MC activity are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate pimozide inhibition of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated MC activation and MC-mediated allergic responses.

Method: MCs were stimulated with anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibodies and DNP-horse serum albumin (HSA) antigen (Ag), and anti-allergic pimozide effects were detected by measuring β-hexosaminidase levels. Morphological changes were observed histologically. In vivo pimozide effects were assessed in passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized active systemic anaphylaxis mouse (ASA) model experiments. Levels of phosphorylated (p-) Syk (spleen tyrosine kinase) and MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) were detected in western blots.

Results: We found that pimozide inhibited MC degranulation, reduced MC release of β-hexosaminidase dose-dependently in activated RBL-2H3 (IC50: 13.52 μM) and bone marrow derived MC (BMMC) (IC50: 42.42 μM), and reduced MC morphological changes. The IgE/Ag-induced migration effect was suppressed by pimozide treatment dose-dependently. Pimozide down-regulated IgE/Ag-induced phosphorylation of Syk and MAPKs in activated MCs. Moreover, pimozide attenuated allergic reactions in PCA and ASA model mice, and decreased MC populations among splenic cells.

Conclusions: The antipsychotic drug pimozide can suppress IgE-mediated MC activation in vitro and in vivo and should be considered for repurposing to suppress MC-mediated diseases.

Keywords
Cell degranulation; Drug repurposing; Mast cells; Pimozide.
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