Atorvastatin reduces plasma levels of chemokine (CXCL10) in patients with Crohn's disease

Olof Grip, Sabina Janciauskiene, Olof Grip, Sabina Janciauskiene

Abstract

Background: In Crohn's disease high tissue expression and serum levels of chemokines and their receptors are known to correlate with disease activity. Because statins can reduce chemokine expression in patients with coronary diseases, we wanted to test whether this can be achieved in patients with Crohn's disease.

Methodology/principal findings: We investigated plasma levels of chemokines (CCL2, CCL4, CCL11, CCL13, CCL17, CCL22, CCL26, CXCL8, CXCL10) and endothelial cytokines (sP-selectin, sE-selectin, sICAM-3, thrombomodulin) in ten Crohn's disease patients before and after thirteen weeks' daily treatment with 80 mg atorvastatin. Of the 13 substances investigated, only CXCL10 was found to be significantly reduced (by 34%, p = 0.026) in all of the treated patients. Levels of CXCL10 correlated with C-reactive protein (r = 0.82, p<0.01).

Conclusions/significance: CXCL10 is a ligand for the CXCR3 receptor, the activation of which results in the recruitment of T lymphocytes and the perpetuation of mucosal inflammation. Hence the reduction of plasma CXCL10 levels by atorvastatin may represent a candidate for an approach to the treatment of Crohns disease in the future.

Trial registration: (ClinicalTrials.gov) NCT00454545.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: Olof Grip gave paid lectures for Schering-Plough, MEDA and Ferring. Sabina Janciauskiene has received research grants from AstraZeneca.

Figures

Figure 1. Plasma levels of CXCL10/IP-10 in…
Figure 1. Plasma levels of CXCL10/IP-10 in ten Crohn's disease patients at baseline and after thirteen weeks' treatment with 80 mg atorvastatin daily, *P<0.05.

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