Macrophage Infiltration, Lectin-Like Oxidized-LDL Receptor-1, and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 are reduced by Chronic HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibition

Atsushi      Tsuchiya; Shoko      Nagotani; Takeshi      Hayashi; Kentaro      Deguchi; Yoshihide      Sehara; Toru      Yamashita; HanZhe      Zhang; Violeta      Lukic; Tatsushi      Kamiya; Koji      Abe

doi:10.2174/156720207782446333

Abstract

Statin reduces cerebrovascular events independent of its cholesterol lowering effect. We hypothesized that statin inhibits early atherosclerotic change in common carotid artery (CCA), and investigated its effect on lectin-like oxidized-LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression, both of which are early atherosclerotic markers. Stroke-prone spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) of 8 weeks old were orally treated with vehicle or simvastatin (20mg/kg) daily. After 4 weeks of simvastatin or vehicle treatment, or 2 weeks of vehicle and 2 weeks of simvastatin treatment, CCA was removed. LOX-1 and MCP-1 expression as well as macrophage infiltration were histologically investigated. Lipid deposition was also investigated by Sudan III staining. Simvastatin groups showed significantly smaller amount of lipid deposition and LOX-1 and MCP-1 expression, independent of serum lipid levels. Macrophage infiltration was also decreased. Reduction of cerebrovascular events by statins may be brought by the direct inhibition of atherosclerotic change.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, carotid artery, hyperlipidemia, lectin-like oxidized-LDL receptor-1, lipid deposition, macrophage infiltration, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, statin