Efficacy of simvastatin treatment of valvular interstitial cells varies with the extracellular environment.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The lack of therapies that inhibit valvular calcification and the conflicting outcomes of clinical studies regarding the impact of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors on valve disease highlight the need for controlled investigations to characterize the interactions between HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and valve tissue. Thus, we applied multiple in vitro disease stimuli to valvular interstitial cell (VIC) cultures and examined the impact of simvastatin treatment on VIC function.

Methods and results

VICs were cultured on 3 different substrates that supported various levels of nodule formation. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 was also applied as a disease stimulus to VICs on 2-D surfaces or encapsulated in 3-D collagen gels and

SUBMITTER: Monzack EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2701301 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature