Atorvastatin Inhibits Autoreactive B Cell Activation and Delays Lupus Development in New Zealand Black/White F1 Mice

Lawman, Sarah; Mauri, Claudia; Jury, Elizabeth C.; Cook, H T; Ehrenstein, Michael R.

doi:10.4049/jimmunol.173.12.7641

Cited by 109 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Administering atorvastatin (30 mg/kg per day IP) to these animals resulted in lower anti-doublestranded DNA antibody levels, reduced proteinuria, lower serum urea levels, and delayed glomerular injury relative to untreated NZB/NZW mice. In addition, atorvastatin decreased class II MHC expression on B cells and monocytes, B cell and T cell activation, and T cell proliferation in the treated mice (137).…”

Section: Abeles and Pillingermentioning

confidence: 87%

Statins as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: A future in rheumatologic therapy?

Abeles

Pillinger

2006

Arthritis & Rheumatism

136

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Section: Abeles and Pillingermentioning

confidence: 87%

Statins as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: A future in rheumatologic therapy?

Abeles

Pillinger

2006

Arthritis & Rheumatism

136

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“…It would be interesting to explore whether intermittent pulse therapy with low doses of a selective COX-2 inhibitor in combination with cardioprotective statins, which also have beneficial effects in lupus models (44), would provide added benefit. Moreover, with a currently permissible COX-2-specific inhibitor such as celecoxib, a low-dose intermittent administration might have a more favorable outcome.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hyperexpression of cyclooxygenase 2 in the lupus immune system and effect of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor diet therapy in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus

Zhang

Bertucci

Smith

et al. 2007

Arthritis & Rheumatism

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Objective. To investigate the role of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in the functioning of different cell types involved in the lupus autoimmune response, and to examine the therapeutic effect of COX-2 inhibitors in mice prone to spontaneously develop systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods. Lupus-prone (SWR ؋ NZB)F 1 mice were fed with a diet containing different doses of the COX-2-specific inhibitor celecoxib or the nonspecific inhibitor aspirin, or a combination of both, and the effects of the therapy on autoantibody production, development of lupus nephritis, and mortality were determined. Expression of COX-2 by different cells of the lupus immune system and the effect of COX-2 inhibitors on the function of these cells in vitro and in vivo were assessed.Results. The immune cells of mice with SLE spontaneously hyperexpressed COX-2, and COX-2 inhibitors could cause cell apoptosis. Treatment with COX-2 inhibitors resulted in decreased autoantibody production and inhibition of the T cell response to the major lupus autoantigen, nucleosome, and its presentation by antigen-presenting cells. Surprisingly, a significant increase in survival occurred only in mice receiving intermittent therapy with the lowest dose of celecoxib (500 parts per million), approximating <100 mg of celecoxib/day in humans. A continuous diet, but not intermittent feeding, with the combination of celecoxib and aspirin delayed development of nephritis temporarily, but failed to prolong survival. Indeed, treatment with aspirin alone increased mortality.Conclusion. The contributions of the major players in the pathogenic autoimmune response, namely, T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages that are abnormally hyperactive in lupus, depend on the increased expression and activity of COX-2, similar to inflammatory cells in target organs. Intermittent pulse therapy with low doses of select COX-2 inhibitors would be of value in the treatment of lupus.In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), hyperactivity of the immune system leads to activation of certain autoimmune T helper cells, which drive autoimmune B cells to produce somatically mutated IgG autoantibodies against apoptotic nuclear antigens (1-6). IgG immune complexes containing autoantigenic DNA and RNA bind Fc␥ receptors and Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which results in stimulation of type I interferon (IFN) production by hyperactive dendritic cells (DCs); moreover, autoimmune B cells bearing the T helper celldriven, high-affinity, somatically mutated B cell receptors are dually stimulated by TLRs (7-9). These events further amplify the ability of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to present autoantigens to pathogenic T helper cells, which is an essential element of disease development (10-13).Normally, autoreactive T and B cells are eliminated by functional inactivation (anergy) and by activation-induced cell death (AICD; apoptosis), via Fas signaling (14). However, autoimmune T helper cells in human lupus resist AICD by up-regulating the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and the anti...

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“…Accumulating evidence occurs that statins also act as immunomodulatory drugs [9][10][11]. In various experimental settings they were shown to affect different kinds of immune cells including T cells [12,13], B cells [14] and antigenpresenting cells [13]. Also, the function of NK cells can be inhibited by statins.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statins inhibit NK‐cell cytotoxicity by interfering with LFA‐1‐mediated conjugate formation

2009

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Inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, commonly referred to as statins, are inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis. They are broadly used for treating hypercholesterolemia and for prevention of cardio-and cerebrovascular diseases. Recent publications show that statins also act as immunomodulatory drugs. Here, we show that lipophilic statins inhibit NK-cell degranulation and cytotoxicity. This effect was reversible by addition of substrates of isoprenylation, but not by addition of cholesterol. In NK-target cell conjugates intracellular Ca 21 flux was unaffected by statin treatment. However, statins strongly reduced the amount of conjugate formation between NK and target cells. This inhibition was paralleled by a statin-dependent inhibition of LFA-1-mediated adhesion and a reduction of NK-cell polarization. This demonstrates that statins impair the formation of effector-target cell conjugates resulting in the disruption of early signaling and the loss of NK-cell cytotoxicity.Key words: Adhesion molecules . Cytotoxicity . Human . NK cells IntroductionNK cells belong to the innate arm of the immune system and are important for an early immune response against viral infections and against tumor formation [1]. They are able to detect and selectively kill potentially dangerous cells. Furthermore, they can secrete cytokines and thereby mediate the communication between the innate and adaptive parts of an immune response. Specific killing of infected and transformed cells depends on several discrete steps that lead to polarization and exocytosis of lytic granules towards the target cell [2,3]. As a very first step the contact between NK cells and potential targets is established. Different NK-cell receptors and adhesion molecules mediate this event. LFA-1 plays a special role in the complete process of NK-cell activation. Engagement of LFA-1 by its ligand ICAM-1 on target cells is the central step in the stable adhesion of NK cells to their target cells and is sufficient to induce the polarization of lytic granules in resting NK cells [4,5]. NK-cell cytotoxicity is achieved by degranulation of these accumulated granules in the direction of the target. For this, mobilization of Ca 21 from intracellular stores is needed, which is mediated by the activation of the phospholipase C-g (PLCg) and PKC signaling pathways [6]. Inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, commonly referred to as statins, are potent inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis. They mimic HMGCoA and thereby block the active site of this essential enzyme [7]. Statins are broadly used as a pharmacologic therapy for treating hypercholesterolemia and for prevention of cardio-and cerebrovascular diseases [8]. Accumulating evidence occurs that statins also act as immunomodulatory drugs [9][10][11]. In various experimental settings they were shown to affect different kinds of immune cells including T cells [12,13], B cells [14] and antigenpresenting cells [13]. Also, the function of NK cells can be inh...

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Atorvastatin Inhibits Autoreactive B Cell Activation and Delays Lupus Development in New Zealand Black/White F1 Mice

Cited by 109 publications

References 26 publications

Statins as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: A future in rheumatologic therapy?

Statins as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: A future in rheumatologic therapy?

Hyperexpression of cyclooxygenase 2 in the lupus immune system and effect of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor diet therapy in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus

Statins inhibit NK‐cell cytotoxicity by interfering with LFA‐1‐mediated conjugate formation

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