IFNα treatment generates antigen-presenting cells insensitive to atorvastatin inhibition of MHC-II expression

IFNα is an immunostimulatory cytokine involved in the development of autoimmunity. Atorvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, also possess immunomodulatory effects, being able to downregulate IFNγ-induced MHC-II expression. In this study we evaluated the role of IFNα in monocyte differentiation to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and the effect of atorvastatin during this process. Results showed that IFNα-treated monocytes differentiated into dendritic-like cells (IFNα-DLCs) characterized by a CD86high, CD1alow, MHC-IIhigh and CD14low expression, consistent with the phenotype of mature DCs and with similar ability to uptake antigens and induce T cell responses to mature IL-4/GM-CSF-DCs. Interestingly enough, the presence of atorvastatin did not inhibit IFNα-induced HLA-DR expression, although this drug markedly reduced the ability of IFNα-DLCs to induce T cell responses. These results confirm the immunostimulatory role of IFNα by promoting the generation of APCs and provide new clinical applications of statins as modulators of autoimmune responses in patients with high pathological or pharmacological IFNα levels.