Co‐culture of Platelets with Activated J774.1 Cells: Effects on Platelet Aggregation and Cyclic Nucleotides

Direct Effects of Statins on Cells Primarily Involved in Atherosclerosis.

“…However, in certain pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, NO may also be synthesized by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expressed in VSMCs. Although the contribution of iNOS to atherosclerotic pathophysiological changes is still a matter of debate, there is accumulating evidence that NO synthesized by iNOS can inhibit platelet aggregation and the development of allograft atheriosclerosis, and cause compensated enlargement of atherosclerotic narrow arteries to increase blood flow (21)(22)(23). We previously observed that fluvastatin as well as lovastatin up-regulated the expression of iNOS and subsequently NO production in interleukin-lRstimulated rat VSMCs, but that pravastatin did not.…”