title: Simvastatin treatment reduces heat shock protein 60, 65, and 70 antibody titers in dyslipidemic patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the effects of statin therapy on serum levels of antibodies to several specific heat shock proteins (HSPs) in dyslipidemic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n=102) were treated with simvastatin (40mg/day), or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Anti-HSP60, 65, 70, and hs-CRP levels were measured before and after each treatment period. Seventy-seven subjects completed the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with simvastatin was associated with significant reductions in serum anti-HSP60, 65, and 70 titers in the dyslipidemic patients (10%, 14%, and 15% decrease, respectively) (p<0.001). There have been previous reports of reductions in serum CRP with statin treatment, and although median CRP levels were 9% lower on simvastatin treatment, this did not achieve statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While it is unclear whether HSP antibodies are directly involved in atherogenesis, our findings suggest that simvastatin inhibits autoimmune responses that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Science (MUMS), Mashhad, Iran; Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, MUMS, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moohebati
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bidmeshgi
authors.forename: Mahmoud R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Azarpazhooh
authors.forename: Mahdi Hassanzadeh
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Daloee
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghayour-Mobarhan
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tavallaie
authors.forename: Maral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momenzadeh
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
authors.forename: Roghayeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paydar
authors.forename: Amir A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rahsepar
authors.forename: Seyyed M R
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parizadeh
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhlaghi
authors.forename: Gordon A A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ferns
mesh_terms: D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D050171:Dyslipidemias; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018834:Chaperonin 60; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D019821:Simvastatin