Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States.
Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, United States.
Cell Immunol. 2022 Jan;371:104457. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104457. Epub 2021 Nov 24.
Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors prescribed for lowering cholesterol. They can also inhibit inflammatory responses by suppressing isoprenylation of small G proteins. Consistent with this, we previously found that fluvastatin suppresses IgE-mediated mast cell function. However, some studies have found that statins induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages and NK cells. In contrast to IgE signaling, we show that fluvastatin augments IL-33-induced TNF and IL-6 production by mast cells. This effect required the key mast cell growth factor, stem cell factor (SCF). Treatment of IL-33-activated mast cells with mevalonic acid or isoprenoids reduced fluvastatin effects, suggesting fluvastatin acts at least partly by reducing isoprenoid production. Fluvastatin also enhanced IL-33-induced NF-κB transcriptional activity and promoted neutrophilic peritonitis in vivo, a response requiring mast cell activation. Other statins tested did not enhance IL-33 responsiveness. Therefore, this work supports observations of unexpected pro-inflammatory effects of some statins and suggests mechanisms by which this may occur. Because statins are candidates for repurposing in inflammatory disorders, our work emphasizes the importance of understanding the pleiotropic and possible unexpected effects of these drugs.
他汀类药物是 HMG-CoA 还原酶抑制剂,用于降低胆固醇。它们还可以通过抑制小 G 蛋白的异戊烯化来抑制炎症反应。与此一致,我们之前发现氟伐他汀可抑制 IgE 介导的肥大细胞功能。然而,一些研究发现他汀类药物在巨噬细胞和 NK 细胞中诱导促炎细胞因子。与 IgE 信号不同,我们发现氟伐他汀增强了肥大细胞中 IL-33 诱导的 TNF 和 IL-6 的产生。这种作用需要关键的肥大细胞生长因子,干细胞因子(SCF)。用甲羟戊酸或异戊烯醇处理 IL-33 激活的肥大细胞可降低氟伐他汀的作用,表明氟伐他汀至少部分通过减少异戊烯醇的产生而起作用。氟伐他汀还增强了 IL-33 诱导的 NF-κB 转录活性,并促进体内中性粒细胞性腹膜炎,这一反应需要肥大细胞的激活。测试的其他他汀类药物没有增强 IL-33 的反应性。因此,这项工作支持了一些他汀类药物具有意外促炎作用的观察结果,并提出了可能发生这种作用的机制。由于他汀类药物是在炎症性疾病中重新利用的候选药物,因此我们的工作强调了理解这些药物的多效性和可能的意外作用的重要性。