Pleiotropic effects of statins in distal human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recent clinical data suggest statins have transient but significant effects in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In this study we explored the molecular effects of statins on distal human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and their relevance to proliferation and apoptosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods

Primary distal human PASMCs from patients and controls were treated with lipophilic (simvastatin, atorvastatin, mevastatin and fluvastatin), lipophobic (pravastatin) and nitric-oxide releasing statins and studied in terms of their DNA synthesis, proliferation, apoptosis, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and endothelin-1 release.

Results

Treatment of human PASMCs with selected statins inhibited DNA synthesis, proliferation and m

SUBMITTER: Ali OF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3213146 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature