Statins Disrupt Macrophage Rac1 Regulation Leading to Increased Atherosclerotic Plaque Calcification.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Calcification of atherosclerotic plaque is traditionally associated with increased cardiovascular event risk; however, recent studies have found increased calcium density to be associated with more stable disease. 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzymeA reductase inhibitors or statins reduce cardiovascular events. Invasive clinical studies have found that statins alter both the lipid and calcium composition of plaque but the molecular mechanisms of statin-mediated effects on plaque calcium composition remain unclear. We recently defined a macrophage Rac (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate)-IL-1β (interleukin-1 beta) signaling axis to be a key mechanism in promoting atherosclerotic calcification and sought to define the impact of statin therapy on this pathway. Approach

SUBMITTER: Healy A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7082877 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature