title: Simvastatin inhibits apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis through upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have showed that apoptosis of endothelial cells plays a curial role in the progress of sepsis. But the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis and its mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were randomly divided into three groups: control group, sepsis serum intervention group (sepsis group) and simvastatin+sepsis serum intervention group (simvastatin group). After 24-hour incubation with corresponding culture medium, the relative growth rate of HUVECS in different groups was detected by MTT assay; the apoptosis of HUVECs was detected by Hoechst33258 assay and flow cytometry; and the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes of HUVECs was detected by PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the sepsis group, HUVECs in the simvastatin group had a higher relative growth rate. Apoptotic HUVECs decreased significantly in the simvastatin group in comparison with the sepsis group. Expression of the Bcl-2 gene in HUVECs decreased obviously, but the expression of the Bax gene increased obviously after 24-hour incubation with sepsis serum; however, the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes was just the opposite in the simvastatin group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that simvastatin can inhibit apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis through upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax. It may be one of the mechanisms for simvastatin to treat sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Qiao-Sheng
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection, Third Hospital of Hengyang City, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Huang
keywords: Apoptosis; Bax gene; Bcl-2 gene; Endothelial cells; Sepsis; Simvastatin