Drug connectivity mapping and functional analysis reveals therapeutic small molecules that differentially modulate myelination

Oligodendrocytes are the myelin forming cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and are generated from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Disruption or loss of oligodendrocytes and myelin has devastating effects on CNS function and integrity, which occurs in diverse neurological disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimers disease (AD) and neuropsychiatric disorders. Hence, there is a need to develop new therapies that promote oligodendrocyte regeneration and myelin repair. A promising approach is drug repurposing, but most agents have potentially contrasting biological actions depending on the cellular context and their dose-dependent effects on intracellular regulatory pathways. Here, we have used a combined drug connectivity systems biology and neurobiological approach to identify compounds that exert positive and negative effects on oligodendroglia, depending on concentration. Notably, LY294002, a potent inhibitor of PI3K/Akt signalling, was the most highly ranked small molecule for both pro- and anti-oligodendroglial effects. We validated these in silico findings in multiple in vivo and ex vivo neurobiological models and demonstrate that low and high doses of LY294002 have a profoundly bipartite effect on the generation of OPCs and their differentiation into myelinating oligodendrocytes. Finally, we employed transcriptional profiling and signalling pathway activity assays to determine cell-specific mechanisms of action of LY294002 on oligodendrocytes and resolve optimal in vivo conditions required to promote myelin repair. These results demonstrate the power of multifactorial neurobiological and in silico strategies in determining the therapeutic potential of small molecules in neurodegenerative disorders. One-sentence summaryDrug discovery and CNS myelination