Prophylactic benefits of systemically delivered simvastatin treatment in a house dust mite challenged murine model of allergic asthma

Background and Purpose Systemically delivered statins can blunt airway inflammation in ovalbumin-challenged mice; however, in asthma clinical trials the beneficial effects of introducing oral statins are not compelling. We aim to reconcile this discrepancy using a clinically relevant murine model of allergic asthma, and by including a prophylactic study arm. Experimental Approach Adult mice were: 1) challenged with house dust mite (HDM) alone or with subcutaneous (s.c.) simvastatin for two weeks; or 2) also treated with simvastatin for one week prior to HDM challenge. We assayed lung function, inflammatory cell influx and cytokine profile, goblet cell abundance, and simvastatin concentration in serum, lung lavage and tissue. Key Results Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry revealed that pharmacologically active simvastatin reached peak serum concentration after 8h, but declined rapidly. Prophylactic treatment doubled peak serum simvastatin and repeated s.c. delivery established stable serum levels, but simvastatin was undetectable in the lungs. Both simvastatin treatment arms suppressed indices of HDM-induced airway inflammation and goblet cell hyperplasia, but this was significantly greater with prophylactic therapy, in particular to inhibit neutrophil and eosinophil influx, and cytokine accumulation. Conversely, neither acute nor prophylactic delivery of simvastatin prevented HDM challenge-induced airway hyperreactivity. Conclusion and Implications Systemically administered simvastatin accumulates in the blood, but not in lung tissues, and reduces leukocyte influx and associated lung inflammation. Prophylactic therapy has the greatest anti-inflammatory effects, but as observed in human clinical trials, systemic simvastatin therapy does not prevent allergic airway hyperreactivity.