BACKGROUND: Statins are known to have pleiotropic effects. We examined the effect and mechanism of simvastatin therapy on EPC differentiation and pro-angiogenic cytokines in patients with hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Twenty-two hypercholesterolemia patients without any other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors or history of previous lipid-lowering therapy were given simvastatin 20 mg/day for 4 weeks. Blood were drawn pre- and post-therapy. The in vitro effects of simvastatin were studied in a separate set of experiments. RESULTS: Simvastatin treatment significantly increased the number of DiI-acLDL, UEA-1 lectin double-positive EPCs and facilitated its appearance. By FACS analysis of freshly isolated PBMNCs, KDR (+) cells increased after simvastatin treatment while there were no differences in CD34, AC133, and VE-cadherin. Also, serum concentration of IL-8 was markedly increased, while VEGF was only slightly increased. In vitro, PBMNCs co-cultured with simvastatin showed increased cluster formation at day 7, and simvastatin facilitated the appearance and networking of EPCs compared with vehicle. Simvastatin-co-cultured PBMNCs showed significantly increased KDR (+) cells, in contrast to CD34, CD31, and VE-Cadherin (+) cells. In response to simvastatin, IL-8 was mainly increased in monocyte culture supernatants while VEGF increased in smooth muscle cell culture supernatants. These cytokines were associated with increased EPC migratory function. The increase in IL-8 secretion from monocytes by statin treatment was associated with phosphorylation and inactivation of GSK3beta, which was reversed by constitutive activation of GSK-3beta. CONCLUSION: Simvastatin enhances endothelial differentiation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with hypercholesterolemia and increases pro-angiogenic cytokine IL-8 secretion from monocytes. Our results may explain the pro-angiogenic effects associated with statin therapy and offer further evidence of statin pleiotropism.
BACKGROUND: Statins are known to have pleiotropic effects. We examined the effect and mechanism of simvastatin therapy on EPC differentiation and pro-angiogenic cytokines in patients with hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Twenty-two hypercholesterolemiapatients without any other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors or history of previous lipid-lowering therapy were given simvastatin 20 mg/day for 4 weeks. Blood were drawn pre- and post-therapy. The in vitro effects of simvastatin were studied in a separate set of experiments. RESULTS:Simvastatin treatment significantly increased the number of DiI-acLDL, UEA-1 lectin double-positive EPCs and facilitated its appearance. By FACS analysis of freshly isolated PBMNCs, KDR (+) cells increased after simvastatin treatment while there were no differences in CD34, AC133, and VE-cadherin. Also, serum concentration of IL-8 was markedly increased, while VEGF was only slightly increased. In vitro, PBMNCs co-cultured with simvastatin showed increased cluster formation at day 7, and simvastatin facilitated the appearance and networking of EPCs compared with vehicle. Simvastatin-co-cultured PBMNCs showed significantly increased KDR (+) cells, in contrast to CD34, CD31, and VE-Cadherin (+) cells. In response to simvastatin, IL-8 was mainly increased in monocyte culture supernatants while VEGF increased in smooth muscle cell culture supernatants. These cytokines were associated with increased EPC migratory function. The increase in IL-8 secretion from monocytes by statin treatment was associated with phosphorylation and inactivation of GSK3beta, which was reversed by constitutive activation of GSK-3beta. CONCLUSION:Simvastatin enhances endothelial differentiation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with hypercholesterolemia and increases pro-angiogenic cytokine IL-8 secretion from monocytes. Our results may explain the pro-angiogenic effects associated with statin therapy and offer further evidence of statin pleiotropism.
Authors: G Karadeniz Cakmak; O Irkorucu; B H Ucan; A U Emre; B Bahadir; C Demirtas; O Tascilar; K Karakaya; S Acikgoz; G Kertis; H Ankarali; H Pasaoglu; M Comert Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2009-07-04 Impact factor: 3.452
Authors: Arianne van Koppen; Diana A Papazova; Nynke R Oosterhuis; Hendrik Gremmels; Rachel H Giles; Joost O Fledderus; Jaap A Joles; Marianne C Verhaar Journal: Stem Cell Res Ther Date: 2015-04-15 Impact factor: 6.832