Effects of various doses of atorvastatin on vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and autophagy in vitro

Zhao,Wen‑Bo; Fu,Hui; Chang,Fen; Liu,Jing; Wang,Jinlan; Li,Fang; Zhao,Jing

doi:10.3892/mmr.2019.9828

Effects of various doses of atorvastatin on vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and autophagy in vitro

Authors:
- Wen‑Bo Zhao
- Hui Fu
- Fen Chang
- Jing Liu
- Jinlan Wang
- Fang Li
- Jing Zhao
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Affiliations: Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P.R. China
Published online on: January 8, 2019 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2019.9828
Pages: 1919-1925

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Abstract

Atorvastatin (Lipitor™) is a lipid‑lowering agent that is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Previous research has largely focused on its cholesterol‑lowering effects; however, a limited number of studies have investigated the actions of atorvastatin on vascular endothelial cells. In the present study, the effects of various doses of atorvastatin were investigated on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were treated with various concentrations of atorvastatin in serum‑free or serum‑containing medium, and alterations in HUVEC morphology were observed. Cell survival and necrosis rates were evaluated using sulforhodamine B and lactate dehydrogenase assays, respectively. In addition, the protein expression levels of cellular apoptosis and autophagy markers were detected using western blot analysis. The results revealed that HUVEC morphology was altered following treatment with various concentrations of atorvastatin. In addition, autophagy was demonstrated to be induced by atorvastatin treatment at all concentrations, whereas high concentrations appeared to induce apoptosis and suppress the survival of HUVECs. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that various doses of atorvastatin may exert differential effects on HUVECs, and high doses may suppress angiogenesis. Therefore, atorvastatin may present a novel potential anti‑tumor therapeutic strategy. However, further studies are required to fully elucidate the association between the dose of atorvastatin and its clinical outcome.

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