title: Statins--treatment option for central nervous system autoimmune disease?
abstract: Statins, inhibitors of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, are well-established agents to lower cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular morbidity. Independent of their lipid-lowering properties, statins have been shown to exert pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects in various animal models of human autoimmune disease. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a murine model for multiple sclerosis, statins prevented disease onset and even reversed paralysis when treatment was initiated after experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was fully established. Furthermore, well-tolerated oral statins were recently shown to exert synergistic benefit in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in combination with existing agents for multiple sclerosis therapy. Based primarily on these encouraging results, statins are now being tested in clinical trials as a monotherapy for multiple sclerosis, as well as in combination with approved disease-modifying therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Program in Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Martin S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinman
authors.forename: Scott S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zamvil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020278:Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007155:Immunologic Factors