Figure 5. Statin treatment improves health in 129.Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y males.

Total animals assessed were 37 Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y fluvastatin-treated, 12 Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y lovastatin-treated, 31 Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y vehicle-treated, 29 wild type +/Y fluvastatin-treated, 8 +/Y lovastatin-treated, and 29 wild type +/Y vehicle-treated mice for the following tests. a) Fluvastatin treatment of 129.Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y confers increased longevity: median 122 days compared to 87 days with 57% survival beyond 120 days (p<.0001). Three animals were sacrificed due to dermatitis (boxes) while active and otherwise healthy. b) Rotarod performance improves in P56 treated null males (fluvastatin p=.015; lovastatin p=.009), c) Open field activity is increased in P70 treated null males as assessed by beam breaks (fluvastatin: p=.011, lovastatin: p=.049). d) Statin treatment lowers plasma cholesterol by P70 (fluvastatin: p=.001, lovastatin: p=.001). e) Statin treatment ameliorates elevated lipid concentration in 129.Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y livers at P70 (fluvastatin p=.020; lovastatin: p=.386). The concentration of f) lanosterol slightly increases and g) desmosterol significantly increases in the brains of fluvastatin-treated 129.Mecp2^tm1.1Bird/Y mice at P70 (N=4 per group; p=.042). All error bars represent s.e.m.