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Statin therapy and autoimmune disease: from protein prenylation to immunomodulation

2006; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 6; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nri1839

1474-1741

John Greenwood, Lawrence Steinman, Scott S. Zamvil,

Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research

Statins are best known as cholesterol-lowering drugs but increasing evidence indicates that they might be an effective treatment for autoimmune disease. Their ability to inhibit post-translational protein prenylation could be key to their immunomodulatory effects. Statins have been prescribed extensively for their cholesterol-lowering properties and efficacy in cardiovascular disease. However, compelling evidence now exists that statins also have extensive immunomodulatory properties that operate independently of lipid lowering. Consequently, much attention has been directed towards their potential as therapeutic agents for the treatment of autoimmune disease. Modulation of post-translational protein prenylation seems to be a key mechanism by which statins alter immune function. In this Review, the effect of statin therapy on immune function, and how this relates to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, is reviewed alongside current opinion of what the key biological targets of statins are.