Effect of simvastatin on endothelium-dependent vaso-relaxation and endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor

作     者：Jun-lin JIANG, De-jian JIANG, Yu-hai TANG, Nian-sheng LI, Han-wu DENG, Yuan-jian LI1 Department of Pharmacology, Schoolof Pharmaceutic Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China 

作者机构：Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmaceutic Sciences Central South University Changsha 410078 

出 版 物：《Acta Pharmacologica Sinica》 (中国药理学报(英文版))

年 卷 期：2004年第25卷第7期

页      面：47-55页

核心收录：

学科分类：1007[医学-药学(可授医学、理学学位)] 1006[医学-中西医结合] 100706[医学-药理学] 100602[医学-中西医结合临床] 10[医学] 

主　　题：simvastatin vasodilation tumor necrosis factor endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor LDL lipoproteins 

摘      要：AIM: To investigate the effect of simvastatin on endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and endogenous nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in rats and cultured ECV304 cells. METHODS: Endothe- lial injury was induced by a single injection of low density lipoprotein (LDL) (4 mg/kg, 48 h) in rats or incubation with LDL (300 mg/L) or oxidative-modified LDL (100 mg/L) in cultured ECV304 cells, and vasodilator responses to acetylcholine (ACh) in the aortic rings and the level of ADMA, nitrite/nitrate (NO) and tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α) in the serum or cultured medium were determined. And the adhesion of the monocytes to endothe- lial cells and the activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) in the cultured ECV304 cells were measured. RESULTS: A single injection of LDL decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh, markedly increased the serum level of endogenous ADMA and TNF-α, and reduced serum level of NO. Pretreatment with simvastatin (30 or 60 mg/kg) markedly attenuated inhibition of vasodilator responses to ACh, the increased level of TNF-α and the decreased level of NO by LDL, but no effect on serum concentration of endogenous ADMA. In cultured ECV304 cells, LDL or ox-LDL markedly increased the level of ADMA and TNF-α and potentiated the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells, concomitantly with a significantly decrease in the activity of DDAH and serum level of NO. Pretreatment with simvastatin (0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 μmol/L) markedly decreased the level of TNF- α and the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells, butdid not affectthe concentration of endogenous ADMA and the activity of DDAH. CONCLUSION: Simvastatin protect the vascular endothelium against the damages induced by LDL or ox-LDL in rats or cultured ECV304 cells, and the beneficial effects of simvastatin may be related to the reduction of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α level.