title: Simvastatin reduces interleukin-1beta secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic low-grade inflammation may contribute to the increased risk of atherosclerosis in essential hypertension. Statins have been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. We studied whether individuals with essential hypertension have increased interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) secretion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and whether treatment with simvastatin lowered IL-1beta secretion by PBMCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBMCs were isolated by gradient centrifugation from 24 individuals with essential hypertension (EH) and 12 normotensive subjects. The IL-1beta concentrations in the supernatant from PBMCs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with EH were then randomized to treatment with valsartan 80 mg/day or matching group who took the same drug valsartan 80 mg/day plus simvastatin 40 mg/day for 1 week. IL-1beta secretion by PBMCs was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, patients with EH had increased IL-1beta [992+/-151 pg/ml, 912+/-102 pg/ml vs. 599+/-93 pg/ml; P<0.05] secretion by PBMCs after stimulated by angiotensin II. Simvastatin treatment had a significant effect of decreasing IL-1beta [668+/-98 vs. 923+/-67 pg/ml; P<0.05] secretion in PBMCs. The reductions were not correlated to changes in plasma lipids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that EH is associated with increased PBMCs activation and that treatment with simvastatin may partly attenuate this abnormality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 86# Renmin Middle Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China. ZhaoSP@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Shuiping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Quanzhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhumei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jiezhi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D008055:Lipids; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000068756:Valsartan; D019821:Simvastatin; D014633:Valine