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Pravastatin inhibits C-reactive protein generation induced by fibrinogen, fibrin and FDP in isolated rat vascular smooth muscle cells

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Abstract

Objective

The available evidence indicates that C-reactive protein (CRP) participates directly in atherosclerosis formation as an inflammatory molecule. Our previous investigation suggested that fibrinogen, fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) produce a pro-inflammatory effect on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through inducing CRP generation. In the present study, we observed the effect of pravastatin on CRP generation induced by fibrinogen, fibrin and FDP in rat VSMCs.

Methods

VSMCs from Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured. Fibrinogen, fibrin and FDP were used as stimulants for CRP generation. VSMCs were preincubated with pravastatin at 10, 30, 100 μM for 30 min prior to stimulation. CRP mRNA expression was studied by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CRP levels in the supernatant of VSMCs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CRP expression in VSMCs was examined with immunocytochemical staining.

Results

ELISA analysis showed that the pravastatin concentration-dependently reduced fibrinogen-, fibrin- and FDP-stimulated generation of CRP in VSMCs, with maximal inhibition of 56.6, 55.7 and 62.3%, respectively. Immunocytochemical staining and RT-PCR revealed that pravastatin inhibited protein and mRNA expression of CRP in VSMCs significantly.

Conclusions

Pravastatin at the concentrations used in the present experiment has ability to relieve vascular inflammation and to restrain atherosclerotic processes via inhibiting the CRP production induced by fibrinogen, fibrin and FDP in VSMCs, which helps explain the beneficial effects of pravastatin on atherosclerosis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Doctoral Fund of the Ministry of Education of China (No. 20100201110053).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Postbox 58, 76 West Yanta Road, 710061, Xi’an, China

    Fang Guo, Jun-Tian Liu & Xiao-Ming Pang

  2. Medical College of Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, China

    Chen-Jing Wang

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  1. Fang Guo
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  2. Jun-Tian Liu
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  3. Chen-Jing Wang
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  4. Xiao-Ming Pang
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Correspondence to Jun-Tian Liu.

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Responsible Editor: Makoto Katori.

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Guo, F., Liu, JT., Wang, CJ. et al. Pravastatin inhibits C-reactive protein generation induced by fibrinogen, fibrin and FDP in isolated rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Inflamm. Res. 61, 127–134 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-011-0396-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-011-0396-4

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