Short term, low dose simvastatin pretreatment alters memory immune function following secondary Staphylococcus aureus infection.

In this study, we report that levels of total serum IgG2c, following primary infection, were decreased in simvastatin pretreated mice, and investigate the effect of simvastatin treatment, prior to primary infection, on immune responses activated during secondary S. aureus infection. A secondary infection model was implemented whereby simvastatin pretreated and control mice were re-infected with S. aureus 14 days after primary infection, with no additional simvastatin treatment, and assessed for survival and alterations in immune function. While survivability to secondary S. aureus infection was not different between simvastatin pretreated and control mice, memory B and T lymphocyte functions were altered. Memory B cells, isolated 14 days after secondary infection, from simvastatin pretreated mice and stimulated ex vivo produced increased levels of IgG1 compared to memory B cells isolated from control mice, while levels of IgM and IgG2c remained similar. Furthermore, memory B and T lymphocytes from simvastatin pretreated mice exhibited a decreased proliferative response when stimulated ex vivo compared to memory cells isolated from control mice. These findings demonstrate the ability of a short term, low dose simvastatin treatment to modulate memory immune function.
PMID: 26927218 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - March 1, 2016 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Smelser LK, Walker C, Burns EM, Curry M, Black N, Metzler JA, McDowell SA, Bruns HA Tags: Curr Pharm Biotechnol Source Type: research