Lovastatin inhibits antigen-induced airway eosinophilia without affecting the production of inflammatory mediators in mice.
OBJECTIVE
Statins have been proposed as a novel treatment of respiratory diseases. To determine the beneficial effects of statins on allergic bronchial asthma, the effect of systemic treatment with lovastatin on antigen-induced airway inflammation was investigated.


METHODS
Male BALB/c mice were used.


METHODS
Mice were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin (OA) antigen to induce asthmatic response. Animals were also treated with lovastatin (4 mg/kg/day, i.p.) once a day prior to and during the antigen inhalation period.


METHODS
Inflammatory cell counts and levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, eotaxin, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine and leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids were measured.


RESULTS
Significant increases in eosinophils and levels of the T helper 2 cytokines, chemokines and LTB(4) in BAL fluids in association with the increments of total and OA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in sera were observed in the repeatedly antigen-challenged mice. The airway eosinophilia was ameliorated by lovastatin, whereas it had no significant effect on the levels of these inflammatory mediators or IgE.


CONCLUSIONS
Lovastatin may be beneficial for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases in the airways, such as allergic bronchial asthma.
Chiba
Y
Y
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Hoshi University, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan. chiba@hoshi.ac.jp
Sato
S
S
Misawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000941:Antigens; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000276:immunology; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000941:Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D008148:Lovastatin