title: Fluvastatin induces apoptosis in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes: a possible mechanism of statin-attenuated cardiac hypertrophy.
abstract: Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Recent evidence indicates that statins may also exert direct effects on vascular wall cells (including endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells) independently of their hypocholesterolemic properties. However, little is known about whether statins have direct effects on myocardium. The effect of lipophilic and hydrophilic statins (fluvastatin and pravastatin) on apoptosis and protein synthesis in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes was investigated. The presence of apoptosis was evaluated by morphologic criteria, electrophoresis of DNA fragments, 4",6"-diamidine-2"-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, and TUNEL assay. Protein synthesis was measured by H-leucine incorporation into the cells. Fluvastatin, but not pravastatin, induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The pro-apoptotic effect of fluvastatin was reversed in the presence of mevalonate or geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate (GGPP), but not in the presence of squalene. The addition of protein prenylation inhibitor perillic acid and Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 significantly increased apoptosis. Fluvastatin decreased RhoA protein in the membrane fraction, whereas there were no significant changes of the RhoA protein in the cytosol fraction. Interleukin-1beta-stimulated H-leucine incorporation was completely inhibited by fluvastatin, but not by pravastatin. The findings suggest that fluvastatin induces apoptosis in cardiac myocytes via protein prenylation and the subsequent inhibition of Rho, and may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ookawara
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Uichi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000209:etiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects*; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins; D017035:Pravastatin