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Fluvastatin Induces Apoptosis in Rat Neonatal Cardiac Myocytes: A Possible Mechanism of Statin-Attenuated Cardiac Hypertrophy

Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Recent evidence indicates that statins may also exert direct effects on vascular wall cells (including endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells) independently of their hypocholesterolemic properties. However, little is known about whether statins have direct effects on myocardium. The effect of lipophilic and hydrophilic statins (fluvastatin and pravastatin) on apoptosis and protein synthesis in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes was investigated. The presence of apoptosis was evaluated by morphologic criteria, electrophoresis of DNA fragments, 4″,6″-diamidine-2″-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, and TUNEL assay. Protein synthesis was measured by 3H-leucine incorporation into the cells. Fluvastatin, but not pravastatin, induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The pro-apoptotic effect of fluvastatin was reversed in the presence of mevalonate or geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate (GGPP), but not in the presence of squalene. The addition of protein prenylation inhibitor perillic acid and Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 significantly increased apoptosis. Fluvastatin decreased RhoA protein in the membrane fraction, whereas there were no significant changes of the RhoA protein in the cytosol fraction. Interleukin-1&bgr;-stimulated 3H-leucine incorporation was completely inhibited by fluvastatin, but not by pravastatin. The findings suggest that fluvastatin induces apoptosis in cardiac myocytes via protein prenylation and the subsequent inhibition of Rho, and may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling.