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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Simple and Efficient Method for Testing Immunomodulatory Agents for Generation of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells from Human CD14+ Monocytes
Published on: April 11, 2025
Immunomodulatory effects of IFN-beta and lovastatin on immunophenotype of monocyte-derived dendritic cells in
Halina Bartosik-Psujek1, Jacek Tabarkiewicz, Krystyna Pocinska
1Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. bartosikpsujek@op.pl
Abstract:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system and current MS treatment is only partially effective. Recent data suggest that statins may be potent immunomodulatory agents. In order to evaluate their role in MS, we analyzed the in vitro effects of interferon (IFN)-beta and lovastatin on the differentiation and maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) of MS patients. Twenty-seven patients with relapsing-remitting MS were recruited for the study. DC differentiation and maturation were evaluated based on surface phenotypic changes and the expressions of CD14, CD83, CD1a, CD80, CD86, CD206, and C209 were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed that IFN-beta and lovastatin affect DC phenotype. Both agents decrease the expression of CD1a, which indicates a weakened presentation of glycolipid antigens. IFN-beta causes up-regulated and lovastatin down-regulated expression of CD86, which results in a biased Th-cell responses in MS. Furthermore, high doses of lovastatin cause a decrease in CD209 expression on the surface of DCs and can limit their migration to various tissues. One of the mechanisms of the beneficial action of IFN-beta and statins may be associated with their influence on DCs.
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