Figure 2

Simvastatin inhibits Monocyte Chemotactic Protein (MCP) gene expression in mouse primary tracheal epithelial cells. Mouse primary tracheal epithelial cells grown in air-liquid interface (ALI) were pre-treated with simvastatin (Sim, 10 μM) for 24 hrs, then stimulated with IL-13 (20 ng/mL) and co-incubated with Sim for 48 hrs (total Sim exposure of 72 hrs). Gene expression was evaluated by RT-PCR. (A) Sim reduced IL-13-induced MCP-1 (CCL2) expression by 84.0% (*p < 0.005 for control vs. IL-13, and **p < 0.005 for IL-13 vs. IL-13 + Sim; both by ANOVA). Simvastatin treatment had no statistically significant inhibition of basal MCP-1 expression (Con. versus Sim 10 μM; p = NS by ANOVA). (B) Sim reduced IL-13-induced MCP-2 (CCL8) expression by 53.7% (*p < 0.05 for control vs. IL-13, and p = NS for IL-13 vs. IL-13 + Sim by ANOVA or t-test). Simvastatin treatment did not inhibit the basal expression of MCP-2 (Con. versus Sim 10 μM; p = NS by ANOVA). (C) Sim reduced IL-13-induced MCP-3 (CCL7) expression by 87.2% (*p < 0.05 for control vs. IL-13, and **p < 0.05 for IL-13 vs. IL-13 + Sim; both by ANOVA). Simvastatin treatment did not inhibit the basal expression of MCP-3 (Con. versus Sim 10 μM; p = NS by ANOVA)