Simvastatin inhibits airway hyperreactivity: implications for the mevalonate pathway and beyond.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Statin use has been linked to improved lung health in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We hypothesize that statins inhibit allergic airway inflammation and reduce airway hyperreactivity via a mevalonate-dependent mechanism.

Objectives

To determine whether simvastatin attenuates airway inflammation and improves lung physiology by mevalonate pathway inhibition.

Methods

BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin over 4 weeks and exposed to 1% ovalbumin aerosol over 2 weeks. Simvastatin (40 mg/kg) or simvastatin plus mevalonate (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally before each ovalbumin exposure.

Measurements and main results

Simvastatin reduced total lung lavage leukocytes, eosinophils, and macrophages (P < 0.05) in the ovalbumin-expos

SUBMITTER: Zeki AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2778150 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature