Statins Could Be Used to Control Replication of Some Viruses, Including HIV-1

• Published in: Viral Immunology Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 474 - 489
• Main Authors: Gilbert, Caroline, Bergeron, Marc, Méthot, Sylvie, Giguère, Jean-François, Tremblay, Michel J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.09.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Antiviral Agents - pharmacokinetics; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Binding Sites - drug effects; Cholesterol - metabolism; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - metabolism; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - drug effects; HIV-1 - physiology; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacokinetics; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacology; In Vitro Techniques; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - drug effects; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 - drug effects; Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 - metabolism; Models, Biological; Protein Binding - drug effects; Review; Virus Replication - drug effects
• ISSN: 0882-8245; 1557-8976; 1365-2567
• DOI: 10.1089/vim.2005.18.474

Statins are mainly known for their plasma cholesterol-lowering properties and are widely used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. They however also exert pleiotropic effects through a variety of mechanisms, among which several immunosuppressive effects that are unrelated to their cholesterol-lowering activity. Interestingly, there has been recent evidence of antiviral effects, including preliminary studies on the efficacy of statins against HIV-1. This paper more particularly focuses on the specific inhibition of the binding of leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) to intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) by statins, independently of the inhibition of HMGCoA reductase. Targeting the statin-binding site within LFA-1 or regulating LFA-1 affinity by inhibiting prenylation of the small GTPases could prove useful to treat inflammatory, autoimmune diseases and possibly viral infections, including HIV-1.