This cholesterol accumulation seemed to cause some of the inflammatory imbalances common in CF, such as decreased nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) activity and decreased activity of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1), as correction of cholesterol concentrations by treatment with an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor resolved these imbalances25,26. This evidence concerns the gene STAT1 and cystic fibrosis.