Abstract

LEE, Chang Seok et al. Simvastatin acts as an inhibitor of interferon gamma-induced cycloxygenase-2 expression in human THP-1 cells, but not in murine RAW264.7 cells. Biocell [online]. 2009, vol.33, n.2, pp.107-114. ISSN 0327-9545.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key inflammatory response molecule, and associated with many immune functions of monocytes/macrophages. Particularly, interferon gamma (IFNg)-induced COX-2 expression appears in inflammatory conditions such as viral infection and autoimmune diseases. Recently, statins have been reported to show variable effects on COX-2 expression, and on their cell and species type dependences. Based on the above description, we compared the effect of simvastatin on IFNg-induced COX-2 expression in human monocytes versus murine macrophages. In a result, we found that simvastatin suppresses IFNg-induced COX-2 expression in human THP-1 monocytes, but rather, potentiates IFNg-induced COX-2 expression in murine RAW264.7 macrophages. However, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/3 (STAT1/3), known as a transcription factor on COX-2 expression, is inactivated by simvastatin in both cells. Our findings showed that simvastatin is likely to suppress IFNg-induced COX-2 expression by inhibiting STAT1/3 activation in human THP-1 cells, but not in murine RAW264.7 cells. Thus, we concluded that IFNg-induced COX-2 expression is differently regulated by simvastatin depending on species specific mechanism.

Keywords : Monocyte; Macrophage; INFg; STAT1/3; SOCS1/3.

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