Pro-apoptotic effect of fluvastatin on human smooth muscle cells

The antiatherosclerotic effect of statins has been attributed to their hypo cholesterolemic action. We therefore evaluated the effect, in vitro, of the addition of the serum of patients taking fluvastatin on human smooth muscl e cells in order to ascertain the effect of the drug on cell proliferation and apoptosis. We found that the addition of serum from patients treated wi th fluvastatin for 6 days caused a significant reduction in cell proliferat ion, increased cell apoptosis and reduced the B cell leukemia-2 (bcl-2) con centration. It is concluded that the induction of apoptosis by statins coul d be a supplementary mechanism in the prevention of atherosclerotic lesions in humans. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.