Atorvastatin inhibits the inflammatory response caused by anti-M(3) peptide IgG in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

REINA S, PASSAFARO D, STERIN-BORDA L, BORDA E.

Inflammopharmacology

Dordrecht, The Netherlands ; Norwell, MA, USA : Kluwer Academic Publishers, c1991

Lugar: Dordrecht; Año: 2012 vol. 20 p. 267 - 275

0925-4692

Experimental and clinical investigations have revealed that statins can down-regulate acute and chronic inflammatory processes. Whether statins express anti-inflammatory activities in the salivary glands in patients with primary Sjögren´s syndrome (pSS) is not known. The in vitro and in vivo effect of atorvastatin on rat submandibular gland treated with anti-M(3) peptide IgG purified from SS patients was studied. The anti-inflammatory effects of atorvastatin were assessed by measuring the levels of IL-1β, PGE(2) and MMP-3 by ELISA. Atorvastatin inhibited the increase in the production of IL-1β, PGE(2) and MMP-3 in submandibular glands treated with anti-M(3) peptide IgG. A positive correlation between IL-1β production with accumulation of PGE(2) and MMP-3 was observed. Rats pre-treated orally with atorvastatin (30 mg kg(-1)) or vehicle (phosphate-buffered solution) once a day for three consecutive days impaired the increment in the production of IL-1β, PGE(2) and MMP-3 in the submandibular gland in the presence of anti-M(3) peptide IgG. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effects of atorvastatin are dependent upon inhibition of production of a pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β) and pro-inflammatory mediators such as PGE(2) and MMP-3. These data suggest that atorvastatin may constitute an anti-inflammatory effect in SS.