TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors on the functional properties of erythrocyte membranes
AU - Rabini, R. A.
AU - Polenta, M.
AU - Staffolani, R.
AU - Tocchini, M.
AU - Signore, R.
AU - Testa, I.
AU - Mazzanti, L.
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - We studied 56 patients affected by primary hypercholesterolemia treated with placebo for 1 month and with simvastatin (20 mg/day) or pravastatin (20 mg/day) for 6 months during a double-blind clinical trial. At 1-month intervals we determined the following parameters in the serum: total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein A-1 and B. At the same time intervals we also determined the cholesterol and phospholipid concentration, the Na+/K+ ATPase activity, and the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes. Our results demonstrated the following modifications in the erythrocyte membranes during simvastatin and pravastatin treatments: (1) an initial increase in cholesterol concentration and in cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, with a significant decrease only after 4 months; (2) a similar behavior of membrane fluidity, with an initial decrease and an elevation after 4 months; (3) an increase in the Na+/K+ ATPase activity only after 4 months. We hyothesize that simvastatin and pravastatin not only inhibit the hepatic synthesis of cholesterol, but also modify the cholesterol exchange between plasma and the erythrocyte membrane.
AB - We studied 56 patients affected by primary hypercholesterolemia treated with placebo for 1 month and with simvastatin (20 mg/day) or pravastatin (20 mg/day) for 6 months during a double-blind clinical trial. At 1-month intervals we determined the following parameters in the serum: total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein A-1 and B. At the same time intervals we also determined the cholesterol and phospholipid concentration, the Na+/K+ ATPase activity, and the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes. Our results demonstrated the following modifications in the erythrocyte membranes during simvastatin and pravastatin treatments: (1) an initial increase in cholesterol concentration and in cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, with a significant decrease only after 4 months; (2) a similar behavior of membrane fluidity, with an initial decrease and an elevation after 4 months; (3) an increase in the Na+/K+ ATPase activity only after 4 months. We hyothesize that simvastatin and pravastatin not only inhibit the hepatic synthesis of cholesterol, but also modify the cholesterol exchange between plasma and the erythrocyte membrane.
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U2 - 10.1006/exmp.1993.1026
DO - 10.1006/exmp.1993.1026
M3 - Article
C2 - 8262165
AN - SCOPUS:0027296191
VL - 59
SP - 51
EP - 57
JO - Experimental and Molecular Pathology
JF - Experimental and Molecular Pathology
SN - 0014-4800
IS - 1
ER -