Antioxidative effects of lovastatin in cultured human endothelial cells

The effects of lovastatin on glutathione peroxidase activity, hydrogen peroxide consumption, [3H]cholesterol uptake and [14C]acetate incorporation were investigated in cultured human endothelial cells. Treatment of endothelial cells with lovastatin in a medium without serum for 4 hr significantly increased both glutathione peroxidase activity and hydrogen peroxide consumption. This treatment also significantly inhibited cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol esterification. However, lovastatin stimulated cholesterol uptake by the cells. These alterations produced by lovastatin continued up to 24 hr. When serum was present in the culture medium, only decreased cholesterol synthesis and esterification were detected. We suggest that the in vitro antioxidative ability of lovastatin resulted, in part at least, from its activating effect on glutathione peroxidase, its stimulative effect on the ability of endothelial cell to scavenge H2O2, and its hypolipidemic effect.