Statins, metformin, proprotein-convertase-subtilisin-kexin type-9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and sex hormones: Immunomodulatory properties?

Abstract

The immune system is closely intertwined with the endocrine system. Many effects of medications used for various clinical endocrine conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, Graves' disease and others also have an impact on the immune system. Some drugs including statins, metformin, angiotensin converting enzyme and proprotein-convertase-subtilisin-kexin type-9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and sex hormones are known to have immunomodulatory properties. We here review the literature on this topic and provide some clinical examples including the use of statins in Graves' orbitopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and adult-onset Still's disease. In that context, we introduce a special immunodiagnostics method developed at the Institute of Diabetes "Gerhardt Katsch" in Karlsburg, Germany, to not only measure but also monitor immune disease activity.

Keywords: Autoantigen; Autoimmune; Flow cytometry; Immune; Interleukin 2; Lupus; Metformin; Multiple sclerosis; Orbitopathy; PCSK9; Rheumatoid arthritis; Somatostatin; Statin; Testosterone; Thyroid.