Mevastatin increases eNO synthase expression and inhibits lipid peroxidation in human endothelial cells
Issue title: Selected Papers from 1st Meeting on “Cardiovascular Biology: Endothelial Cell in Health and Hypertension”, 30 June–1 July 2006, Prague, Czech Republic
Affiliations: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Vrije Univeristeit Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Department of Physiology, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Vrije Univeristeit Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Vrije Univeristeit Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, The Netherlands
Note: [] Corresponding author: Casper G. Schalkwijk, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 43 3882186; Fax: +31 43 3875006; E-mail: C.Schalkwijk@intmed.unimaas.nl.
Abstract: Statins can protect endothelial activation independent from their lipid-lowering effects. To gain more insight in mechanisms via which HMG-CoA inhibition may attenuate endothelial activation, we assessed the effects of mevastatin on eNOS expression of non- and modified-LDL treated endothelial cells and on basal and hydrogen peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation. Oxidized-LDL (Ox-LDL), but not glycated or acylated LDL decreased eNOS expression in human endothelial cells. The extent to which Ox-LDL decreases eNOS expression depends on the extent of modification of Ox-LDL. Mevastatin increased eNOS-expression, both in the presence and absence of Ox-LDL. In addition, mevastatin decreased the H2O2-induced (100 μM) lipid peroxidation in endothelial cells. This study shows that mevastatin has protective effects on endothelial cells by inducing eNOS and by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.
