Lovastatin-stimulated superinduction of E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in TNF-α activated human vascular endothelial cells

Inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase (statins) reveal important pharmacological effects in addition to reducing the plasma LDL cholesterol level. In the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis, transendothelial migration of various leukocytes including monocytes is a crucial step. We, therefore, investigated the expression of E-selectin, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in vascular endothelial cells as influenced by lovastatin. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) express significant amounts of selectins and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) within a few hours after stimulation with TNF-α. This effect is potentiated by 100–200% when the cells are pretreated with 0.1–2.5 μM lovastatin. The lovastatin-mediated increase in the cytoplasm and at the cell surface is dose-dependent and significant at lovastatin concentrations comparable to plasma levels in patients under lovastatin treatment. The lovastatin-potentiated increase of E-selectin and CAMs is correlated with a corresponding increase of selectin- and CAM-specific mRNA. We conclude that, in vivo, statin treatment could trigger an enhanced recruitment of macrophages that might support the cholesteryl ester efflux from the arteriosclerotic plaque.