Simvastatin and Ca(2+) signaling in endothelial cells: involvement of rho protein

Diabetes-related perturbations in the integrity of physiologic barriers

One of the hallmarks of health is the integrity of barriers at the cellular and tissue levels. The two cardinal functions of barriers include preventing access of deleterious elements of the environment (barrier function) while facilitating the transport of essential ions, signaling molecules and nutrients needed to maintain the internal milieu (transport function). There are several cellular and subcellular barriers and some of these barriers can be interrelated. The principal physiologic barriers include blood-retinal barrier, blood-brain barrier, blood-testis barrier, renal glomerular/tubular barrier, intestinal barrier, pulmonary blood-alveolar barrier, blood-placental barrier and skin barrier. Tissue specific barriers are the result of the vasculature, cellular composition of the tissue and extracellular matrix within the tissue. Uncontrolled diabetes and acute hyperglycemia may disrupt the integrity of physiologic barriers, primarily through altering the vascular integrity of the tissues and may well contribute to the clinically recognized complications of diabetes. Although diabetes is a systemic disease, some of the organs display clinically significant deterioration in function while others undergo subclinical changes. The pathophysiology of the disruption of these barriers is not entirely clear but it may be related to diabetes-related cellular stress. Understanding the mechanisms of diabetes related dysfunction of various physiologic barriers might help identifying novel therapeutic targets for reducing clinically significant complications of diabetes.

The wHole Story About Fenestrations in LSEC

The porosity of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) ensures bidirectional passive transport of lipoproteins, drugs and solutes between the liver capillaries and the liver parenchyma. This porosity is realized via fenestrations - transcellular pores with diameters in the range of 50-300 nm - typically grouped together in sieve plates. Aging and several liver disorders severely reduce LSEC porosity, decreasing their filtration properties. Over the years, a variety of drugs, stimulants, and toxins have been investigated in the context of altered diameter or frequency of fenestrations. In fact, any change in the porosity, connected with the change in number and/or size of fenestrations is reflected in the overall liver-vascular system crosstalk. Recently, several commonly used medicines have been proposed to have a beneficial effect on LSEC re-fenestration in aging. These findings may be important for the aging populations of the world. In this review we collate the literature on medicines, recreational drugs, hormones and laboratory tools (including toxins) where the effect LSEC morphology was quantitatively analyzed. Moreover, different experimental models of liver pathology are discussed in the context of fenestrations. The second part of this review covers the cellular mechanisms of action to enable physicians and researchers to predict the effect of newly developed drugs on LSEC porosity. To achieve this, we discuss four existing hypotheses of regulation of fenestrations. Finally, we provide a summary of the cellular mechanisms which are demonstrated to tune the porosity of LSEC.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Role of Oxidative Stress and Blood Vessels

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common irreversible ocular disease characterized by vision impairment among older people. Many risk factors are related to AMD and interact with each other in its pathogenesis. Notably, oxidative stress and choroidal vascular dysfunction were suggested to be critically involved in AMD pathogenesis. In this review, we give an overview on the factors contributing to the pathophysiology of this multifactorial disease and discuss the role of reactive oxygen species and vascular function in more detail. Moreover, we give an overview on therapeutic strategies for patients suffering from AMD.

Enhanced nitric oxide and cyclic GMP formation plays a role in the anti-platelet activity of simvastatin

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been found that 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) exert various vascular protective effects, beyond their cholesterol-lowering property, including inhibition of platelet-dependent thrombus formation. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic GMP-mediated processes in platelets contribute to the anti-aggregatory activity of simvastatin.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

After rabbit platelets were incubated with simvastatin for 5 min, aggregation was induced and the platelet aggregation, nitric oxide synthase activity, guanylyl cyclase activity, NO and cyclic GMP formation were measured appropriately.

KEY RESULTS

Treatment with simvastatin concentration-dependently inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen or arachidonic acid with an IC(50) range of 52-158 microM. We also demonstrated that simvastatin (20-80 microM) concentration-dependently further enhanced collagen-induced NO and cyclic GMP formation through increasing NOS activity (from 2.64+/-0.12 to 3.52+/-0.21-5.10+/-0.14 micromol min(-1) mg protein(-1)) and guanylyl cyclase activity (from 142.9+/-7.2 to 163.5+/-17.5-283.8+/-19.5 pmol min(-1) mg protein(-1)) in the platelets. On the contrary, inhibition of platelet aggregation by simvastatin was markedly attenuated (by about 50%) by addition of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, a NO scavenger or a NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase inhibitor. The anti-aggregatory effects of simvastatin were significantly increased by addition of a selective inhibitor of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings indicate that enhancement of a NO/cyclic GMP-mediated process plays an important role in the anti-aggregatory activity of simvastatin.

Can HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors ("statins") slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration? The age-related maculopathy statin study (ARMSS)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is responsible for the majority of visual impairment in the Western world. The role of cholesterol-lowering medications, HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors or statins, in reducing the risk of AMD or of delaying its progression has not been fully investigated. A 3-year prospective randomized controlled trial of 40 mg simvastatin per day compared to placebo in subjects at high risk of AMD progression is described. This paper outlines the primary aims of the Age-Related Maculopathy Statin Study (ARMSS), and the methodology involved. Standardized clinical grading of macular photographs and comparison of serial macular digital photographs, using the International grading scheme, form the basis for assessment of primary study outcomes. In addition, macular function is assessed at each visit with detailed psychophysical measurements of rod and cone function. Information collected in this study will assist in the assessment of the potential value of HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statins) in reducing the risk of AMD progression.

Statins and ATP regulate nuclear pAkt via the P2X7 purinergic receptor in epithelial cells

Many studies have documented P2X7 receptor functions in cells of mesenchymal origin. P2X7 is also expressed in epithelial cells and its role in these cells remains largely unknown. Our data indicate that P2X7 regulate nuclear pAkt in epithelial cells. We show that low concentration of atorvastatin, a drug inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol metabolism, or the natural agonist extracellular ATP rapidly decreased the level of insulin-induced phosphorylated Akt in the nucleus. This effect was seen within minutes and was inhibited by P2X7 inhibitors. Experiments employing P2X7 siRNA and HEK293 cells heterologously expressing P2X7 and in vivo experiments further supported an involvement of P2X7. These data indicate that extracellular ATP and statins via the P2X7 receptor modulate insulin-induced Akt signaling in epithelial cells.

Improvement of age-related endothelial dysfunction by simvastatin: effect on NO and COX pathways

The effects of oral administration of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, simvastatin (SV), on age-related endothelial dysfunction were investigated in the aorta of male Wistar rats. Adult (12-14 weeks) and old (60-80 weeks) rats were treated daily for 12 weeks with either vehicle or SV (1 mg kg(-1)). In old rats, SV treatment did not significantly affect systolic blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol, but it reduced plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and oxidised LDL though it did not affect total antioxidant status. SV improved endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine and A-23187 in vessels from aged, but not adult, rats. This effect was linked to a greater NO vasodilatation via an increased expression of endothelial NO-synthase. A mechanism sensitive to superoxide dismutase and catalase also accounts for enhanced endothelial vasodilatation. Finally, SV did not affect the release of prostacyclin, but it inhibited the generation of thromboxane (TX) A2 from COX-2 isoform. The effect of the latter was sensitive to the Tp receptor antagonist, ICI-192,605. The present study provides evidence that oral administration of SV improves endothelial dysfunction in the aorta from aged rats by mechanisms associated with enhanced NO vasodilatation, reduced release of TXA2 from cyclo-oxygenase, and increased antioxidant properties of the vessel wall. These data underscore a new therapeutic perspective for SV in age-related endothelial dysfunction.

Effects of simvastatin on cardiohemodynamic responses to ischemia–reperfusion in isolated rat hearts

Simvastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, has long been thought to exert its benefits by reducing cholesterol synthesis, and has been shown to significantly reduce cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with or without coronary artery disease. However, it is still unknown whether acute administration of simvastatin beneficially affects the cardiac function prior or during ischemia-reperfusion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of acute simvastatin treatment on isolated rat hearts or isolated ischemia-reperfusion hearts. Hearts were isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats and attached to a Langendorff apparatus. The isolated hearts with or without ischemia (15 min) and reperfusion (60 min) were perfused with different concentrations of simvastatin. The parameters of cardiac function (such as left ventricular developed pressure [LVDP], +dp/dt max, and -dp/dt max), heart rate, and coronary flow were recorded. Simvastatin (3-30 micromol/l) significantly increased LVDP, +dp/dt max, and -dp/dt max in isolated rat hearts perfused for 60 min. Heart rate was depressed by 30 micromol/l simvastatin and the coronary flow was increased by 10 and 30 micromol/l simvastatin. At a concentration of 100 micromol/l simvastatin, worsening of heart function and subsequent cardiac arrest occurred. Administration of simvastatin (3-30 micromol/l) significantly preserved cardiac function detected by LVDP, +dp/dt max, and -dp/dt max in the isolated ischemia/reperfused (15/60 min) rat hearts. Simvastatin also significantly decreased heart rate at 30 micromol/l, and increased coronary flow at 10 and 30 micromol/l in these rat hearts. However, the protective effect of simvastatin reverted to increased damage at 100 micromol/l. Only 3 micromol/l simvastatin pretreatment before 15/60 min ischemia-reperfusion altered LVDP, +dp/dt max, and -dp/dt max. Both heart rate and coronary flow were unaltered after simvastatin pretreatment. Since simvastatin at a concentration lower than 100 micromol/l exerted beneficial effects on cardiac function in isolated perfused rat hearts, it could be applied just after myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.

Statins prevent dextrose-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction, possibly through inhibition of superoxide formation

Statins may have favorable effects on endothelial barrier function, possibly through reduction of oxidative stress and modulation of expression of vasoactive proteins. The permeability of human umbilical endothelial cells in culture to a group of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextrans of different molecular weights were studied under various experimental conditions. Superoxide anion production was measured with an ethidium bromide fluorescence method. Cellular endothelin 1 mRNA and endothelin 1 in culture media were measured with Northern blots and enzyme immunoassays, respectively. Rosuvastatin (10 nmol/l) normalized the 500 mg/dl dextrose-induced permeability changes. Superoxide anion production induced by 500 mg/dl dextrose was inhibited by therapeutic concentrations of rosuvastatin or simvastatin (10 nmol/l), whereas the increased levels of cellular endothelin 1 mRNA and endothelin 1 in culture media was inhibited by supratherapeutic concentrations of statins (> or =0.1 micromol/l). In conclusion, 1) endothelial cell barrier dysfunction occurs in cells treated with high concentrations of dextrose, 2) statin treatment of endothelial cells normalizes barrier permeability, and 3) the favorable effects of statins may be attributed to the inhibition of the dextrose-induced increase in superoxide anions, whereas inhibition of endothelin expression was observed only at supratherapeutic concentrations.

Statins ameliorate endothelial barrier permeability changes in the cerebral tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Statins may have favorable effects on endothelial barrier function. The effect of rosuvastatin and simvastatin therapy (10 mg/kg) for 5 weeks on blood-brain barrier (BBB), blood-retinal barrier (BRB), and cardiac muscle permeability of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was studied. The size-selective permeability of different vascular beds to a group of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextrans of varying molecular weights was measured. The volume of distribution of 250-, 70-, and 40-kDa dextrans in the cerebral tissue of diabetic rats were significantly increased. The volume of distribution of these dextrans in cerebral tissue was normalized by both statins. Diabetes did not significantly alter the BRB, but both statins decreased the volume of distribution of 70- and 40-kDa dextrans in the retina. The volume of distribution of 40 kDa in cardiac muscle was increased in diabetes, and this change was prevented with statin treatment. Treatment with rosuvastatin and mevalonate (150 mg/kg in drinking water for 5 weeks) did not alter the volume of distribution measurements. We concluded that 1) diabetes in rats is associated with significant changes in the BBB permeability; 2) statin treatment improves the endothelial barrier function in cerebral tissue, retina, and cardiac muscle; and 3) this statin effect could not be attributed to HMGCoA reductase inhibition.

Effects of simvastatin on cardiac performance and expression of sarcoplasmic reticular calcium regulatory proteins in rat heart

AIM

To investigate the effect of simvastatin on the cardiac contractile function and the alteration of gene and protein expression of the sarcoplasmic calcium regulatory proteins, including sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA), phospholamban (PLB), and ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) in rat hearts.

METHODS

Langendorff-perfused rat hearts were subjected to 60-min perfusion with different concentrations of simvastatin (1, 3, 10, 30, or 100 microml/L), and the parameters of cardiac function such as left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), +dp/dtmax, and -dp/dtmax were determined. The cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes were incubated with simvastatin (1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 micromol/L) for 1 h or 24 h. The levels of SERCA, PLB, and RyR2 expression were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Cytotoxic effect of simvastatin on ventricular cardiomyocytes was assessed by the MTT colorimetric assay.

RESULTS

LVDP, +dp/dtmax, and -dp/dtmax of hearts were increased significantly after treatment with simvastatin 3, 10, and 30 micromol/L. In simvastatin-treated isolated hearts, the levels of mRNA expression of SERCA and RyR2 were elevated compared with the control (P<0.05), while the mRNA expression of PLB did not change. After the cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes were incubated with 3, 10, 30, and 100 mumol/L simvastatin for 1 h, SERCA and RyR2 mRNA expressions of cardiomyocytes rose, but there was no alteration in protein expressions. However, with the elongation of simvastatin treatment to 24 h, the protein expression of SERCA and RyR2 were also elevated. Additionally, simvastatin (1-30 micromol/L) had no influence on cell viability of cultured cardiac myocytes, but simvastatin 100 micromol/L inhibited the cell viability.

CONCLUSION

Simvastatin improved cardiac performance accompanied by the elevation of SERCA and RyR2 gene and protein expression.

HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins): do they have a role in age-related macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive late onset disease affecting central vision. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in developed countries, and with the aging population the problem is increasing. Current treatment options are limited to the late stage of the disease when central vision is already under great threat, and even new treatments make little impact on the rate of blindness. Intervention earlier in the disease may prove more rewarding, but to date little progress has been made with this approach. Epidemiologic, genetic, and pathological evidence continues to accumulate, suggesting a possible link between risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and age-related macular degeneration. This article reviews the evidence and discusses the rationale behind the recent suggestions that cholesterol-lowering agents may be useful in the treatment of early age-related macular degeneration. The cholesterol-lowering family of drugs called statins are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) inhibitors with pleiotropic actions. Their therapeutic effects in cardiovascular disease and dyslipidaemia have been well proven. In this review we will outline the known actions of statins and discuss possible ways that they may impact on age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related endothelial dysfunction : potential implications for pharmacotherapy

Aging per se is associated with abnormalities of the vascular wall linked to both structural and functional changes that can take place at the level of the extracellular matrix, the vascular smooth muscle and the endothelium of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is generally defined as a decrease in the capacity of the endothelium to dilate blood vessels in response to physical and chemical stimuli. It is one of the characteristic changes that occur with age, independently of other known cardiovascular risk factors. This may account in part for the increased incidence of cardiovascular events in elderly people that can be reversed by restoring endothelial function. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved and the aetiopathogenesis of this process will help in the search for new therapeutic agents.Age-dependent alteration of endothelium-dependent relaxation seems to be a widespread phenomenon both in conductance and resistance arteries from several species. In the course of aging, there is an alteration in the equilibrium between relaxing and contracting factors released by the endothelium. Hence, there is a progressive reduction in the participation of nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor associated with increased participation of oxygen-derived free radicals and cyclo-oxygenase-derived prostanoids. Also, the endothelin-1 and angiotensin II pathways may play a role in age-related endothelial dysfunction. The use of drugs acting at different levels of these signalling cascades, including antioxidant therapy, lipid-lowering drugs and estrogens, seems to be promising.

[The statins: new properties]]

The comparison of major statin trials with trials using either cholestyramine or ileal bypass has suggested that the reduction in coronary heart disease events for those patients receiving statin therapy largely result from their low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol lowering action. LDL-cholesterol lowering has several physiological consequences, including plaque stabilisation with a decrease in the inflammatory process, slowing of plaque progression, and improvement of endothelial function, as evidenced by the measurement of endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation in response to hyperhaemia or acetylcholine infusion. Statins lower C-reactive protein without any consistent effect on the other inflammation acute phase proteins. The cause and consequences of this effect are still debated. In order to explain why some statins can prevent coronary events within a few months, a direct effect of this therapy on thrombosis has also been advocated; however, the evaluation of statin antithrombotic effects in humans has produced conflicting results. By inhibiting L-mevalonic acid synthesis, statins also prevent the farnelysation of small-GTP binding proteins such as Rho and Ras. In vitro, and in animal models, the inhibition of Rho with statins results in a decrease in endothelial nitric oxide production, an inhibition of leucocyte adhesion on endothelium, decrease in PPAR alpha activation and high density lipoprotein (HDL) production by the hepatocyte, decrease in Ca2+ stores in vascular smooth cells, and a stimulation of vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis. However, most of these effects were obtained with high statin concentrations. Further evidence is needed before a full assessment of the clinical importance of isoprenylation blockage with therapeutic concentrations of statins in humans can be made.

Compactin enhances osteogenesis in murine embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have the capacity to differentiate into various cell types in vitro. In this study, we show that retinoic acid is important for the commitment of ES cells into osteoblasts. Culturing retinoic acid treated ES cells in the presence of the osteogenic supplements ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate resulted in the expression of several osteoblast marker genes, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, and osteopontin. However, there was only a slight amount of mineralized matrix secretion. Addition of bone morphogenic protein-2 or compactin, a drug of the statin family of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, resulted in a greatly enhanced formation of bone nodules. Compactin did not modify the expression of osteogenic markers, but at the late stage of differentiation promoted an increase in BMP-2 expression. These results establish ES-cell derived osteogenesis as an effective model system to study the molecular mechanisms by which the statin compactin promotes osteoblastic differentiation and bone nodule formation.