Statins potently reduce the cytokine-mediated IL-6 release in SMC/MNC cocultures.
Inflammatory pathways are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Interaction of vessel wall cells and invading monocytes by cytokines may trigger local inflammatory processes. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are standard medications used in cardiovascular diseases. They are thought to have anti-inflammatory capacities, in addition to their lipid-lowering effects. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of statins in the cytokine-mediated-interaction-model of human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and human mononuclear cells (MNC). In this atherosclerosis-related inflammatory model LPS (lipopolysaccharide, endotoxin), as well as high mobility group box 1 stimulation resulted in synergistic (i.e. over-additive) IL-6 (interleukin-6) production as measured in ELISA. Recombinant IL-1, tumour necrosis factor-α and IL-6 mediated the synergistic IL-6 production. The standard anti-inflammatory drugs aspirin and indomethacin (Indo) reduced the synergistic IL-6 production by 60%. Simvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin or pravastatin reduced the IL-6 production by 53%, 50%, 64% and 60%, respectively. The inhibition by the statins was dose dependent. Combination of statins with aspirin and/or Indo resulted in complete inhibition of the synergistic IL-6 production. The same inhibitors blocked STAT3 phosphorylation, providing evidence for an autocrine role of IL-6 in the synergism. MNC from volunteers after 5 day aspirin or simvastatin administration showed no decreased IL-6 production, probably due to drug removal during MNC isolation. Taken together, the data show that anti-inflammatory functions (here shown for statins) can be sensitively and reproducibly determined in this novel SMC/MNC coculture model. These data implicate that statins have the capacity to affect atherosclerosis by regulating cytokine-mediated innate inflammatory pathways in the vessel wall.
Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany. Harald.Loppnow@medizin.uni-halle.de
Harald
H
Loppnow
Li
L
Zhang
Michael
M
Buerke
Michael
M
Lautenschläger
Li
L
Chen
Adrian
A
Frister
Axel
A
Schlitt
Tanja
T
Luther
Nan
N
Song
Britt
B
Hofmann
Stefan
S
Rose-John
Rolf-Edgar
RE
Silber
Ursula
U
Müller-Werdan
Karl
K
Werdan
D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002469:Cell Separation; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011758:Pyrroles; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D001241:Aspirin; D007213:Indomethacin