Effect of cholesterol medicine on inflammatory diseases mapped
Simvastatin, one of the most commonly used cholesterol medicines may also have a beneficial effect on the immune defence system with regards to diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
This study, from Aarhus University in Denmark, opens up new opportunities for treating chronic inflammatory diseases, say the research team.
Simvastatin has been shown to reduce the level of inflammation in diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, however the reason why has so far eluded researchers.
“Simvastatin – and statins in general – are not designed to have this effect. We have now identified a new mechanism that forms the basis for the effect, and this opens up new opportunities for developing a better substance to combat these inflammatory diseases. It’s an interesting line to pursue because a great many people can take statins without significant side effects,” says Prof Thomas Vorup-Jensen, Professor at the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University.
The reason for the positive effect is that the pharmaceutical acts as a ‘plug’ in the proteins that retain the immune cells in the inflammation zones. With the plug in place, the immune cells can no longer contribute to the inflammation, which is therefore reduced, leaving the patient feeling better. In the case of diabetes, for example, it can help reduce the risk of patients developing complications.
“We initially observed this mechanism in the laboratory. Of course, we now need to establish whether it works in the same way in vivo, but we think it’s likely,” says Prof Vorup-Jensen. The study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
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