title: Simvastatin induces interleukin-18 production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: The effects of statins on immune response depend on the inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase and leukocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1, which is a ligand of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1. Simvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor with mild inhibition of LFA-1, induced the production of interleukin (IL)-18, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The IL-18 production is located upstream of the cytokine cascade activated by simvastatin. Moreover, simvastatin concentration-dependently inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and induced the expression of CD40 on monocytes. In the presence of IL-18, simvastatin suppressed the expression of ICAM-1 and CD40 as well as the production of IL-12, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in PBMC, contributing to the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin. The effects of simvastatin were abolished by the addition of the product of the HMG-CoA reductase, mevalonate, indicating the involvement of HMG-CoA reductase in the action of simvastatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo Kohka
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwagaki
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishibori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D019013:CD40 Antigens; C497964:CD86 protein, human; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C425776:tyrosyl-valyl-alanyl-aspartic acid fluoromethyl ketone; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D016753:Interleukin-10; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D018664:Interleukin-12; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019821:Simvastatin; D008798:Mevalonic Acid