title: The beneficial effects of rosuvastatin are independent of zinc supplementation in patients with atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statins have multiple antiatherosclerotic effects, but can reduce blood plasma concentrations of minerals, including zinc. As zinc possesses antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects, low zinc status can promote injuries or inadequate tissue repair in endothelial cells. Metallothionein (MT) expression might modulate responses induced by statins in patients with atherosclerosis. However, research regarding mineral status and the use of statins is scarce. This study evaluated the effects of zinc supplementation on zinc status and expression of the zinc-dependent MT1F and MT2A genes in patients with atherosclerosis treated with rosuvastatin.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind, randomized clinical trial was performed with 54 participants treated with 10mg rosuvastatin for 4 months with or without zinc supplementation (30mg/day). Diet, lipid profile, high-sensitivity reactive protein C (hs-CRP), plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and MT1F and MT2A genes expression were analyzed before and after intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rosuvastatin therapy was effective in reducing low- and non-high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and hs-CRP levels, independent of zinc supplementation. Additionally, zinc treatment had no effect on SOD enzyme activity (P=0.201), plasma (P>0.671) and erythrocyte (P>0.123) zinc concentrations, or the pattern of MT1F and MT2A genes expression (P=0.088 and P=0.229, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of rosuvastatin treatment is independent of the effects of zinc supplementation. Moreover, rosuvastatin treatment did not have a significant impact on zinc status or MT1F and MT2A genes expression in patients with atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Cristina Silveira
authors.initials: PCS
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karine Cavalcanti Mauricio
authors.initials: KCM
authors.lastname: Sena-Evangelista
authors.affiliation: Onofre Lopes Hospital University, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Sanali Moura de Oliveira
authors.initials: MSMO
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diana Quitéria Cabral
authors.initials: DQC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela Abbott Galvão
authors.initials: MAG
authors.lastname: Ururahy
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dulcinéia Saes Parra
authors.initials: DSP
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil. Electronic address: lpedrosa@ufrnet.br.
authors.forename: Lucia Fatima Campos
authors.initials: LFC
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010919:Placebos; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; C501902:MT1F protein, human; C491053:MT2A protein, human; D010919:Placebos; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Metallothionein; Rosuvastatin; Zinc supplementation