Objective: To investigate the effect of rosuvastatin therapy on C-C chemokine receptor(CCR2)expression in mononuclear cells in patients with carotid atherosclerosis and explore the possible upstream mechanism.
Methods: Twenty patients without previous statin treatment were enrolled. Rosuvastatin were given 5 to 20 mg/day for 3 months. At baseline and 12 weeks, lipid profile and plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were examined. The mRNA and protein expressions of CCR2 in the mononuclear cells were measured with RT-PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression of peroxidase proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR β) were detected with RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.
Results: After 3-months rosuvastatin treatment, the patients' low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with baseline, the mRNA and protein expressions of CCR2 in the mononuclear cells showed significantly decrease, as well as plasma MCP-1 levels (P<0.05). Both mRNA and protein expressions of PPAR β in the mononuclear cells increased (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Rosuvastatin may attenuate MCP-1/CCR2 through PPARβ upstream pathway.
Keywords: CCR2; PPAR β; atherosclerosis; rosuvastatin.