The oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor IM156 suppresses B-cell activation by regulating mitochondrial membrane potential and contributes to the mitigation of systemic lupus erythematosus

Current treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases may not sufficiently control aberrant metabolism in B-cells. To address this concern, we investigated a biguanide derivative, IM156, as a potential regulator for B-cell metabolism in vitro and in vivo on overactive B-cells stimulated by the pro-inflammatory receptor TLR-9 agonist CpG oligodeoxynucleotide, a mimic of viral/bacterial DNA. Using RNA sequencing, we analyzed the B-cell transcriptome expression, identifying the major molecular pathways affected by IM156 in vivo. We also evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of IM156 in lupus-prone NZB/W F1 mice. CD19⁺B-cells exhibited higher mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial membrane potential compared to T-cells and were more susceptible to IM156-mediated oxidative phosphorylation inhibition. In vivo, IM156 inhibited mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, cell cycle progression, plasmablast differentiation, and activation marker levels in CpG oligodeoxynucleotide-stimulated mouse spleen B-cells. Interestingly, IM156 treatment significantly increased overall survival, reduced glomerulonephritis and inhibited B-cell activation in the NZB/W F1 mice. Thus, our data indicated that IM156 suppressed the mitochondrial membrane potentials of activated B-cells in mice, contributing to the mitigation of lupus activity. Hence, IM156 may represent a therapeutic alternative for autoimmune disease mediated by B-cell hyperactivity.