Statins Inhibited the ADP-Stimulated Activation of Integrins alpha v beta5 and alpha v beta3 of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Integrins mediate the migration, adhesion and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) can activate vascular integrins. We assessed the hypothesis that 'statins inhibit the ADP-stimulated activation of integrins alpha v beta5 and alpha v beta3 in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC)'. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expressions of integrins were analyzed using flow cytometry. The activations of integrins were evaluated using the adhesion assay, with prothrombin as an activation-dependent ligand. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the proliferation. RESULTS: Statins did not suppress the expressions of the integrins, alpha v beta5 and alpha v beta3. The ADP-stimulated adhesion was partially prevented by LM609, which blocked integrin alpha v beta3 (13% inhibition), and markedly prevented by P1F5, which blocked integrin alpha v beta5 (76% inhibition; n=5, p<0.05). However, the proliferation was inhibited by c7E3 and LM609, but not by P1F5. Statins inhibited the ADP-stimulated adhesions in a dose-dependent manner after 15 min of pretreatment. After incubating HASMC with statins for 1 day, simvastatin and fluvastatin inhibited the adhesion by 70 and 66%, respectively (n=5, p<0.05 vs. no statin). Statins also inhibited the ADP-stimulated proliferation of HASMC. CONCLUSION: Statins did not suppress the expressions of the integrins, alpha v beta5 and alpha v beta3, but did inhibit the ADP-stimulated activation of the integrins of HASMC.

A Case of Isolated-organ Tuberculosis Causing Common Bile Duct Obstruction: Tuberculous periductal lymphadenitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

The explanation of isolated-organ tuberculosis rests on the assumption that in the course of the lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination of bacilli, organisms may be rapidly destroyed in all other sites save for the particular tissue involved in the isolated tuberculous process. Tuberculosis can arise in all tissues having lymphatics or blood supply, but the disease causing biliary tract obstruction has been known to be rare. Recently, we experi-enced a case of isolated-organ tuberculosis causing common bile duct obstruction and periductal lymph node enlargement in a 46-year-old Korean male. An ultrasonography-guided percutaneous needle biopsy revealed a granulomatous inflammation of the lymph node. After 7 months of anti-tuberculous medication, the common bile duct obstruction and periductal lymph node enlargement disappeared completely in a follow up abdominal CT and ERCP.