Mycophenolate Mofetil and Atherosclerosis

Abstract

The immunosuppressive agent mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has beneficial effects in cardiac transplant patients beyond the suppression of tissue rejection. Patients with regimens containing MMF experience diminished intimal thickening and cardiac allograft vasculopathy compared to patients treated with azathioprine. Studies have shown that diet-induced atherosclerosis (a related vasculopathy) is a chronic inflammatory process, and so MMF has also been used to reduce atherosclerosis in a rabbit model of hyperlipidemia. These data hold out the intriguing possibility that MMF might be a viable primary or secondary preventive agent in people at significant risk for atherosclerosis.

Immunosuppression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by mycophenolate mofetil

“…A dose of 30 mg/kg/day was chosen as this dose has already been proven to be efficient in other experimental diseases (Gibson and Hayden, 2007;Tran et al, 2001;Zandman-Goddard and Shoenfeld, 2005). Moreover, MG patients daily receive an oral dose of 1.0-2.0 g, which is in the range of the body weight related dose of MMF used in the present study (Schneider-Gold et al, 2006).…”

Mycophenolate mofetil in dermatology

“…It is possible that such properties may be of benefit particularly to patients at risk for cardiovascular events. [169][170][171] Lastly, MMF has been hypothesized to directly affect fibroblast extracellular matrix remodeling, which may contribute to MMF's therapeutic effects when treating fibrotic lesions found in patients with systemic sclerosis or GVHD. Other implications of this property, including its effect on wound healing, may be unveiled with future studies.…”

Management of cardiovascular disease risk in chronic inflammatory disorders

“…33 Several studies suggest that mycophenolate mofetil has protective effects on the vasculature; its preventive role in atheroma formation in SLE needs to be determined. 138 The role of anti-TnF agents in the prevention of CVD in patients with RA and, potentially, other inflam matory diseases, is of great interest. Indeed, several studies indicate that TnF inhibition might improve endothelial function and could be associated with decreased cardio vascular risk and mortality.…”