Acute Antiinflammatory Properties of Statins Involve Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-α via Inhibition of the Protein Kinase C Signaling Pathway

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Abstract
Statins are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase used in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition to their cholesterol-lowering activities, statins exert pleiotropic antiinflammatory effects, which might contribute to their beneficial effects not only on CVD but also on lipid-unrelated immune and inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, stroke, and transplant rejection. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in these antiinflammatory properties of statins are unresolved. Here we show that the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) α mediates antiinflammatory effects of simvastatin in vivo in models of acute inflammation. The inhibitory effects of statins on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response genes were abolished in PPARα-deficient macrophages and neutrophils. Moreover, simvastatin inhibited PPARα phosphorylation by lipopolysaccharide-activated protein kinase C (PKC) α. A constitutive active form of PKCα inhibited nuclear factor κB transrepression by PPARα whereas simvastatin enhanced transrepression activity of wild-type PPARα, but not of PPARα mutated in its PKC phosphorylation sites. These data indicate that the acute antiinflammatory effect of simvastatin occurs via PPARα by a mechanism involving inhibition of PKCα inactivation of PPARα transrepression activity.