Rapid response to lipids profile and leukocyte gene expression after rosuvastatin administration in Chinese healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Statins are potent lipid-lowering agents widely used in medical practice. There has been growing evidence suggesting the pleiotropic effects of statins in addition to the lipid-lowering effect. However, it is still unclear how rapidly the beneficial effects of statins occur. The transcriptome of peripheral blood cells can be used as a sensor to drug therapy. The purpose of the study was to investigate the acute effects of rosuvastatin both on lipids profile and gene expression of peripheral leukocytes following therapy with a single dose of rosuvastatin. METHODS: Thirty healthy Chinese male volunteers were enrolled. The serum lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and plasma fibrinogen were determined before and 72 hours after administration of 20 mg of rosuvastatin. The differentially expressed genes of peripheral leukocytes after administration of rosuvastatin were screened using human oligonucleotide microarray gene expression chips. Then four of the differentially expressed genes including ATM, CASP8, IL8RB and S100B were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Rosuvastatin decreased both serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly 72 hours after administration of a single dose of 20 mg rosuvastatin. However, no significant changes occurred in blood high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen after the treatment. A total of 24 genes were differentially expressed after the treatment. They were involved in important cell biological processes such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, apoptosis signaling, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Rosuvastatin rapidly modulates the serum lipids and affects the gene expression of peripheral leukocytes in healthy volunteers. This finding provides some new clues for further studies on its potential pleiotropic effects.

[Efficacy of monotherapy with 15 antihypertensive agents in treating essential hypertension assessed by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the monotherapy of 15 agents in treating essential hypertension. METHODS: After 2-week wash-out, a total of 370 patients with seated diastolic blood pressure 95-114 mmHg and seated systolic blood pressure < 180 mmHg were randomized to different therapeutic groups. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed before medication and at the end of 8 weeks. RESULT: All the agents significantly reduced the 24 hour mean blood pressures after treatment except doxazosin, terazosin, and torasemide. CONCLUSION: The result suggested that the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and long-acting calcium antagonists were effective in treating essential hypertension, while the low-dose doxazosin, terazosin and torasemide can be used for combination therapy but not for monotherapy.