Lower levels of Caveolin-1 and higher levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase are observed in abdominal aortic aneurysm patients treated with simvastatin

Abstract

This study was undertaken to verify if simvastatin modulates Cav-1/eNOS expression and if this modulation is associated with changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). It was 1:2 case-control study of non-statin (n=12) and simvastatin-treated patients (n=24) who underwent open AAA repair. Simvastatin treatment significantly and dose-dependently decreased Cav-1 and increased eNOS expression in AAA wall (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). The changes in Cav-1 and eNOS were associated with a trend towards decreased concentration of IL-6 and IL-17 (p>0.05) and increased concentration of IL-10 (p=0.055) but not with TLR4 expression suggesting other mechanism of simvastatin influence on Cav-1 and eNOS in AAA wall. Simvastatin may modulate Cav-1 and eNOS expression in aneurysmal wall indicating a new beneficial role of statins in AAA patients.