title: Increase of Frequency and Modulation of Phenotype of Regulatory T Cells by Atorvastatin Is Associated with Decreased Lung Inflammatory Cell Infiltration in a Murine Model of Acute Allergic Asthma.
abstract: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role by controlling allergic inflammation of airways. Recently, it has been shown that statins have immunomodulatory properties, probably mediated by their effects on Tregs. Therefore, we evaluated thein vivoeffect of atorvastatin (ATV) on Tregs and its association with the inflammatory process in a model of allergic asthma. BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and then challenged with intranasal OVA. ATV (40 mg/kg) was delivered by daily intraperitoneal injection for 7 or 15 days before each OVA challenge. ATV treatment for 7 days increased the frequency of Tregs in mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) and the interleukin (IL)-10 in lungs. After 15 days of treatment, ATV increased the percentage of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein (GITR+) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1+) Tregs in the lung, without enhancing their suppressive activity, but also increased the percentage of conventional T cells expressing GITR+, PD1+, and OX-40 (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 4). Although no significant changes were observed in the number of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), OVA-specific immunoglobulin E in the serum, and type 2 helper (Th2) cytokines in the lungs, there was a significant decrease of peribronchial inflammation that negatively correlated with the Tregs in MLN and the concentration of IL-10 in the lung. These results suggest that ATV has an immunomodulatory role possibly mediated by their effects on Tregs, which could contribute to the control of inflammation during allergic asthma. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the contribution of Treg to immunomodulatory action of statins in the context of allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunovirología, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA , Medellín , Colombia.
authors.forename: Yurany
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Blanquiceth
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunovirología, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA , Medellín , Colombia.
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Perea
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunomodulación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA , Medellín , Colombia.
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tabares Guevara
authors.affiliation: Sección de Dermatología, Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia; Laboratorio de Patología, Laboratorio Clínico VID, Obra de la Congregación Mariana, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Luis Alfonso
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center & Louisiana Cancer Research Center, Health Sciences Center, Louisiana State University , New Orleans, LA , USA.
authors.forename: María Dulfary
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunomodulación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA , Medellín , Colombia.
authors.forename: José Robinson
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Pineda
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunovirología, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA , Medellín , Colombia.
authors.forename: Paula Andrea
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Velilla
keywords: IL-10; asthma; atorvastatin; ovalbumin; regulatory T cells