Cell experiment:

HEK293 cells are plated in 96-well plates at a density of 15 x 103 cells/well. Transfections are performed using Lipofectamine 2000. 24 h post-transfection, the cells are treated with vehicle or compound (SR1001). 24 h post-treatment, the luciferase activity is measured using the Dual-Glo luciferase assay system[1].

Animal experiment:

Mice: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is induced in C57BL/6 wild-type mice by s.c. injection over four sites in the flank with 200 μg per mouse. The SR1001 is dissolved in DMSO at 25 mg/mL and the mice are treated (i.p.) with 25 mg/kg SR1001 (1 μL/g body weight of mouse) or vehicle (DMSO, 1 μL/g body weight of mouse) twice per day. The treatment is started 2 days before immunization and continued until the end of experiment[1].

SR1001 is a selective RORα and RORγ inverse agonist with Kis 172 and 111 nM, respectively.

SR1001 inhibits the development of murine TH17 cells by inhibition of IL-17A gene expression and protein production. SR1001 reduces the interaction of a coactivator TRAP220 NR box 2 peptide with RORγ in a dose dependent manner (IC50 value≈117 nM). Additionally, SR1001 inhibits the expression of cytokines when added to differentiated murine or human TH17 cells[1].

SR1001 effectively suppresses the clinical severity of autoimmune disease in mice. Administration of SR1001 to C57BL/6 mice suppresses the expression of hepatic ROR target genes, Cyp7b1, Rev-erbα, and Serpine 1[1]. SR1001 a RORα inverse agonist eliminats the circadian pattern of expression of citrate synthase mRNA in mice[2].

References:
[1]. Solt LA, et al. Suppression of TH17 differentiation and autoimmunity by a synthetic ROR ligand. Nature. 2011 Apr 28;472(7344):491-4.
[2]. Crumbley C, et al. Regulation of expression of citrate synthase by the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor α (RORα). PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e33804.