Effect Of Simvastain On Cholesterol Metabolism And Expression Of SR-A In THP-1Foam Cell

ObjectiveTo study the effect of simvastatin on the expression of scavenger receptorclass A(SR-A) and the cholesterol metabolism in THP-1macrophage-derivedfoam cells.MethodsThe THP-1cells were stimulated by phorbol12-myristate13-acetate(PMA)(50nmol/L) for48h and transformed to macrophages.Macrophages wereco-incubated with100mg/L oxidized low density lipoprotein(ox-LDL) andsimvastatin. The cellular lipid accumulation was examined by oil red Ostaining.High performance liquid chromatography was used for qualitative andquantitative analysis of intracellular cholesterol and cholesterol esters. Theexpression of SR-A was detected with Western Blot.ResultsCompared to the ox-LDL group, oil red O-positive cells (P＜0.01) andcellular contents of cholesterol ester (P＜0.01) were greatly reduced.Theactivity of scavenger recptor A was also significantly decreased (P＜0.01).Simvastatin significantly attenuated these changes in a dose-dependentmanner.ConclusionsThe datas suggest that simvastatin is capable of inhibiting the formation of foam cells，which effect may be partly due to reduced SR-A expression anduptake of ox-LDL in macrophages.