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Exogenous CoQ10 preserves plasma ubiquinone levels in patients treated with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors

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International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Research

Summary

Ubiquinone is a carrier of the mitochondrial respiratory chain which regulates oxidative phosphorylation: it also acts as a membrane stabilizer preventing lipid peroxidation. In man the quinone ring originates from tyrosine, while the formation of the polyisoprenoid lateral chain starts from acetyl CoA and proceeds through mevalonate and isopentenylpyrophosphate; this biosynthetic pathway is the same as the cholesterol one. We therefore performed this study to evaluate whether statins (hypocholesterolemic drugs that inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase) modify blood levels of ubiquinone. Thirty unrelated outpatients with primary hypercholesterolemia (IIa phenotype) were treated with 20 mg of simvastatin for a 3-month period (group S) or with 20 mg of simvastatin plus 100 mg CoQ10 (group US). The following parameters were evaluated at time 0, and at 45 and 90 days: total plasma cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, Apo A1, Apo B and CoQ10 in plasma and in platelets. In the S group, there was a marked decrease in total cholesterol low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and in plasma CoQ10 levels from 1.08 mg/dl to 0.80 mg/dl. In contrast, in the US group we observed a significant increase of plasma CoQ10 (from 1.20 to 1.48 mg/dl) while the hypocholesterolemic effect was similar to that observed in the S group. Platelet CoQ10 also decreased in the S group (from 104 to 90 ng/mg) and increased in the US group (from 95 to 145 ng/mg). This study demonstrated that simvastatin lowered both low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and Apo B plasma levels and plasma and platelet levels of CoQ10, and that CoQ10 prevent both plasma and platelet CoQ10 reduction, without affecting the hypocholesterolemic effect of simvastatin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centralized Laboratory, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Bologna, Italy

    A. M. Bargossi, P. L. Fiorella & G. Grossi

  2. Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ancona, Via Ranieri, I-60131, Ancona, Italy

    M. Battino

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    A. Gaddi, G. Barozzi, R. Di Giulio & G. Descovich

  4. Department of Biochemistry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    S. Sassi, M. L. Genova & G. Lenaz

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  1. A. M. Bargossi
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  2. M. Battino
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  6. G. Barozzi
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  7. R. Di Giulio
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  10. M. L. Genova
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  11. G. Lenaz
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Bargossi, A.M., Battino, M., Gaddi, A. et al. Exogenous CoQ10 preserves plasma ubiquinone levels in patients treated with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors. Int J Clin Lab Res 24, 171–176 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02592449

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