Modulation of human T cells signaling transduction by lovastatin

Statins are applied clinically to treat hypercholesterolemia and proposed to have some kinds of anti-inflammatory properties for reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular events. However, it was rarely known about statins on the signal transduction on human primary T cells. To gain insight into the mechanism of statins on human T cells, we investigated the effects of both lovastatin and atorvastatin on activated human primary T cells. The human primary T cells from the blood of normal human beings were isolated. We found that lovastatin, but not atorvastatin, can dose-dependently inhibit cytokine production such as interleukin-2, interleukin-4, and interferon-gamma from activated human T cells. Neither lovastatin nor atorvastatin can regulate the TNF-alpha production on both activated human T cells and monocytes. Molecular investigation was performed that lovastatin, but not atorvastatin, could down-regulate both activator protein-1 and NF-kappaB DNA binding activities, assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Our observations may extend potential and differential therapeutic mechanisms of lovastatin with cell-mediated capacity to prevent or treat some of inflammation related diseases.