Pitavastatin ameliorates autoimmune neuroinflammation by regulating the Treg/Th17 cell balance through inhibition of mevalonate metabolism.

Pitavastatin ameliorates autoimmune neuroinflammation by regulating the Treg/Th17 cell balance through inhibition of mevalonate metabolism. Int Immunopharmacol. 2020 Dec 17;91:107278 Authors: Prado DS, Damasceno LEA, Sonego AB, Rosa MH, Martins TV, Fonseca MDM, Cunha TM, Cunha FQ, Alves-Filho JC Abstract While Treg cells are responsible for self-tolerance and immune homeostasis, pathogenic autoreactive Th17 cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that lead to tissue damage associated with autoimmunity, as observed in multiple sclerosis. Therefore, the immunological balance between Th17 and Treg cells may represent a promising option for immune therapy. Statin drugs are used to treat dyslipidemia; however, besides their effects on preventing cardiovascular diseases, statins also have anti-inflammatory effects. Here, we investigated the role of pitavastatin on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and the differentiation of Treg and Th17 cells. EAE was induced by immunizing C57BL/6 mice with MOG35-55. EAE severity was determined by analyzing the clinical score and inflammatory parameters in the spinal cord. Naive CD4 T cells were cultured under Treg and Th17-skewing conditions in vitro in the presence of pitavastatin. We found that pitavastatin decreased EAE development, which was accompanied by a reduction of all parameters investigated. Pitavastatin also reduced the expression of IBA1 and pSTAT3 (Y705 and S727) in the spin...
Source: International Immunopharmacology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Int Immunopharmacol Source Type: research