Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by lovastatin tested on six human cell typesin vitro

• Published in: Lipids Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 177 - 179
• Main Authors: Sviridov, D. D., Safonova, I. G., Pavlov, M. Y., Kosykh, V. A., Podrez, E. A., Antonov, A. S., Fuki, I. V., Repin, V. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer‐Verlag 01-03-1990
• ISSN: 0024-4201; 1558-9307
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02544335

Lovastatin (mevinolin) caused a strong and dose‐dependent inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in six types of cultured human cells. Fifty percent inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in human enterocytes was observed at a lovastatin concentration of about 0.004 ng/ml and in other cells at a lovastatin concentration of about 0.03 ng/ml. At lovastatin concentrations between 1.0 and 100.0 ng/ml, a moderate tissue selectivity of lovastatin action was noted. At optimal concentrations, lovastatin inhibited cholesterol synthesis in hepatocytes by 98%, in normal and LDL‐receptor negative fibroblasts, arterial smooth muscle cells and hepatoma G‐2 cells by about 90%, and in enterocytes by 75%. In rat enterocytes lovastatin inhibited cholesterol synthesis by only 60%.