Repurposing a Drug Targeting Inflammatory Bowel Disease for Lowering Hypertension

BACKGROUND: The gut and gut microbiota, which were previously neglected in blood pressure regulation, are becoming increasingly recognized as factors contributing to hypertension. Diseases affecting the gut such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) present with aberrant energy metabolism of colonic epithelium and gut dysbiosis, both of which are also mechanisms contributing to hypertension. We reasoned that current measures to remedy deficits in colonic energy metabolism and dysbiosis in IBD could also ameliorate hypertension. Among them, 5‐aminosalicylic acid (5‐ASA; mesalamine) is a PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma) agonist. It attenuates IBD by a dual mechanism of selectively enhancing colonic epithelial cell energy metabolism and ameliorating gut dysbiosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2 groups of 11‐ to 12‐week‐old male, hypertensive, Dahl salt‐sensitive (S) rats were gavaged with (n=10) or without (n=10) 5‐aminosalicylic acid (150 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Rats receiving 5‐aminosalicylic acid treatment had a lower mean blood pressure than controls (145±3 mm Hg versus 153±4 mm Hg; P<0.0001). This reduction in blood pressure was accompanied by increased activity of PPARγ, increased expression of energy metabolism–related genes, and lowering of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the colon, the reduction of which is a marker for the correction of gut dysbiosis. Furthermore, these data were consistent with the American Gut Project wherein the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio of non‐IBD (n=611) patients was significantly lower than patients with IBD (n=631). CONCLUSIONS: 5‐Aminosalicylic acid could be repurposed for hypertension by specifically enhancing the gut energy metabolism and correction of microbiota dysbiosis.