Click on image to view larger version.

Figure 2 Cerivastatin up-regulates eNOS protein level and enhances NO release via inhibition HMG-CoA reductase: (A) Immunoblotting demonstrated that in cultured human saphenous vein endothelial cells, cerivastatin (10^–6 mol/liter, 24 h) enhanced eNOS protein level, which was fully reversed by the HMG-CoA product mevalonate (Meva, 2 x 10^–4 mol/liter). (B) Quantification of the experiments above by densitometry (n = 3). (C) In cells treated with cerivastatin (10^–6 mol/liter, 24 h), NO release stimulated by Ca²⁺ ionophore (10^–6 mol/liter) as measured by porphyrinic microsensor was significantly enhanced. This enhancement of NO release was fully reversed by mevalonate (2 x 10^–4 mol/liter; n = 3). * = p < 0.01 vs. control; = p < 0.01 vs. cerivastatin plus mevalonate.