title: Ezetimibe - new anti-atherogenic properties?
abstract: Ezetimibe, a Niemann Pick C1-like1 inhibitor, inhibits cholesterol absorption. The drug has been shown to affect lipid raft function in monocytes and therefore may inhibit lipid accumulation in the atheromatous plaque with a mechanism that is unrelated to its effect in reducing cholesterol absorption. In this issue of the British journal of pharmacology, Gómez-Garre et al. demonstrate that ezetimibe and simvastatin both have a beneficial effect on the atheromatous plaque, which may be due to their effect on both monocyte/macrophage function and reduction in nuclear factor-kappaB activity. Whether these results in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis can be translated into human atherosclerosis awaits further studies.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Institute of Ireland, Beacon Clinic, Dublin, Ireland. gerald.tomkin@tcd.ie
authors.forename: Gerald H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tomkin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001384:Azetidines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001384:Azetidines; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids; D016328:NF-kappa B; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019821:Simvastatin; D000069438:Ezetimibe