Statin administration or blocking PCSK9 alleviates airway hyperresponsiveness and lung fibrosis in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Background: Obesity is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness and lung fibrosis, which may reduce the effectiveness of standard asthma treatment in individuals suffering from both conditions. Statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 inhibitors not only reduce serum Cholesterol, free fatty acids but also diminish renin-angiotensin system activity and exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. These mechanisms may play a role in mitigating lung pathologies associated with obesity.

Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were induced to develop obesity through high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Conditional TGF-β1 transgenic mice were fed a normal diet. These mice were given either atorvastatin or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 inhibitor (alirocumab), and the impact on airway hyperresponsiveness and lung pathologies was assessed.

Results: High-fat diet-induced obesity enhanced airway hyperresponsiveness, lung fibrosis, macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and pro-inflammatory mediators in the lung. These lipid-lowering agents attenuated airway hyperresponsiveness, macrophages in BALF, lung fibrosis, serum Leptin, free fatty acids, TGF-β1, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A in the lung. Furthermore, the increased Ras, NLRP3 inflammasome, and cholecystokinin in lung tissue of obese mice were reduced with statin or alirocumab. These agents also suppressed the pro-inflammatory immune responses and lung fibrosis in TGF-β1 over-expressed transgenic mice with normal diet.

Conclusions: Lipid-lowering treatment has the potential to alleviate obesity-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and lung fibrosis by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome, Ras and cholecystokinin activity.