title: Reduction of intracellular cholesterol accumulation in THP-1 macrophages by a combination of rosiglitazone and atorvastatin.
abstract: Rosiglitazone and atorvastatin combination therapy has beneficial effects on both glycemic control and plasma lipid levels in type 2 diabetic patients. In the present study, we sought to determine whether this combination can also exert direct antiatherosclerotic effects in macrophages. Our results show that 2 microM rosiglitazone, alone or combined with 5 microM atorvastatin, significantly upregulated the expression of the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA1 and of the class B scavenger receptor CLA-1 (CD36 and LIMPII analog), both involved in cholesterol efflux from macrophages. On the other hand, the combination with atorvastatin attenuated the inductive response elicited by rosiglitazone alone on CD36 mRNA (34%, P < 0.05) and protein (16%, P < 0.05), while the uptake of oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) remained unaffected. When we examined the effects of the drugs on acetyl-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation, we found that only the combination of atorvastatin with rosiglitazone caused a net depletion in the cholesteryl ester content of macrophages (35%, P < 0.05). Our data suggest that this reduction was not mediated by effects on proteins that regulate cholesterol flux, but it may be related to the inhibition of cholesteryl ester formation elicited by the statin.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament de Farmacologia i Química Terapèutica, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Llaverias
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lacasa
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viñals
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Carrera
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Laguna
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alegret
mesh_terms: D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001692:Biological Transport; D018955:CD36 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein / Q000378:metabolism; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C577836:ABCA1 protein, human; D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D018955:CD36 Antigens; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011758:Pyrroles; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; C495124:SCARB1 protein, human; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin