This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mach, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mach, F.

(Circulation. 2004;109:II-15 – II-17.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.

Vascular Effects of Statins

Statins as Immunomodulatory Agents

François Mach, MD

From the Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva Medical School, Foundation for Medical Research, Geneva, Switzerland.

Correspondence to Dr. François Mach, MD, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva Foundation for Medical Research, 64 Avenue Roseraie, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. E-mail francois.mach{at}medicine.unige.ch

Abstract

Statins have long been thought to exert their benefits by reducing cholesterol synthesis. However, the fact that mevalonate is the precursor of isoprenoids that regulate diverse cellular functions has led investigators to examine pleiotropic effects for these agents. Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules, which affect the immune response and organ rejection after transplantation, may be induced by the proinflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-). An experiment was conducted to determine whether statins affect the regulation of MHC-II expression by IFN- in cultured human endothelial cells and monocyte/macrophages. Statins were found to repress the induction of MHC-II by IFN-. This may explain the immunosuppressive effects of statins seen in two clinical trials of organ transplantation and suggest a potential role for statins as immunosuppressive agents.

Key Words: statins • T lymphocyte • macrophages • immunology

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Fougerat, S. Gayral, P. Gourdy, A. Schambourg, T. Ruckle, M. K. Schwarz, C. Rommel, E. Hirsch, J.-F. Arnal, J.-P. Salles, et al. Genetic and Pharmacological Targeting of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-{gamma} Reduces Atherosclerosis and Favors Plaque Stability by Modulating Inflammatory Processes Circulation, March 11, 2008; 117(10): 1310 - 1317. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]