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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2001;21:1327.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Atherosclerosis and Lipoproteins

In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Statins Is Mediated by Nonsterol Mevalonate Products

Luisa Diomede; Diego Albani; Marcello Sottocorno; Maria Benedetta Donati; Marco Bianchi; Paolo Fruscella; Mario Salmona

From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, and the Department of Medicine and Vascular Pharmacology, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Chieti (M.B.D.), Italy.

Correspondence to Luisa Diomede, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche, "Mario Negri," Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milano, Italy. E-mail diomede{at}irfmn.mnegri.it

Abstract—— This study set out to clarify whether the inhibition of sterol or nonsterol derivatives arising from mevalonate biotransformation plays a major role in the in vivo anti-inflammatory action of statins. Hepatic synthesis of all these derivatives was inhibited in mice by administered statins, whereas squalestatin inhibited only sterol derivatives. Using a short-term treatment schedule, we found that statins reduced the hepatic activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase without affecting blood cholesterol. This treatment inhibited lipopolysaccharide- and carrageenan-induced pouch leukocyte recruitment and the exudate production of interleukin-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and RANTES. Coadministration of mevalonate reversed the effect of statin on leukocyte recruitment. The inhibition of sterol synthesis by squalestatin did not have any anti-inflammatory effect, indicating that the biosynthesis of nonsterol compounds arising from mevalonate is crucial for the in vivo regulation of cytokine and chemokine production by statins. Their inhibition by statins may account for the reported anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs and may provide a biochemical basis for the recently reported effects of statins in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Key Words: statins • HMG-CoA reductase • squalene synthetase • interleukin-6 • chemokines

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