ENHANCEMENT OF MEMBRANE FLUIDITY IN CHOLESTEROL-POOR ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS PRETREATED WITH SIMVASTATIN

We examined the membrane fluidity of the cholesterol-poor bovine carot id artery endothelial cells (BAEC). Cholesterol-poor BAEC were obtaine d by treating the cells with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HM G-CoA) reductase inhibitors under 10% low density lipoprotein (LDL)-de ficient serum condition for 2 days. Simvastatin reduced the intracellu lar cholesterol content significantly at a concentration of 0.1 mu g/m l. The reduction in the cholesterol content was accompanied by the enh ancement of the cell membrane fluidity which was measured by a photobl eaching technique. Additional data suggested that the reduction in cho lesterol content referred to the reduction in the proliferation of BAE C.