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Published on: June 28, 2018
Lovastatin protects against experimental plague in mice
Saravanan Ayyadurai1, Hubert Lepidi, Claude Nappez
1Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes: UMR CNRS 6236- IRD 198, Faculté de Médecine, IFR48, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
Plos One
|June 10, 2010
Summary
Lovastatin, a cholesterol drug, significantly reduced mortality in a mouse model of plague, suggesting its potential for Yersinia pestis prophylaxis. This study found no direct antibiotic effect but a protective role against the deadly infection.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Disease Research
- Bacteriology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a deadly, ectoparasite-borne infection with thousands of annual deaths in Africa.
- Current plague prophylaxis (tetracyclines, cotrimoxazole) faces challenges due to emerging resistance.
- Novel prophylactic strategies are crucial for combating Yersinia pestis infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prophylactic efficacy of lovastatin against Yersinia pestis infection in an experimental mouse model.
- To investigate lovastatin's potential role in preventing plague, a bioterrorism agent.
Main Methods:
- Mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of lovastatin (20 mg/kg) for six days before Yersinia pestis challenge.
- Control groups included non-challenged and challenged untreated mice.
- Mice were monitored for body weight, behavior, and mortality for 10 days post-infection; microbiological and histopathological analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- Lovastatin demonstrated no in-vitro antibiotic activity against Yersinia pestis.
- A significant reduction in mortality was observed in lovastatin-treated mice (20%) compared to controls (73.5%).
- Lovastatin-treated survivors showed no signs of septicemia or severe tissue inflammation in the lungs and spleen.
Conclusions:
- Lovastatin exhibits significant protective effects against lethal Yersinia pestis infection in mice.
- The drug's mechanism appears to mitigate the severe pathological consequences of plague rather than direct antibiotic action.
- Further clinical studies are warranted to explore lovastatin's role in human plague prophylaxis.
