Effects of Pravastatin and Simvastatin on COX2 Expression In Vivo and In Vitro and Endothelial Cell Function In Vitro
(A) Quantitative summary of COX2 protein detection by Western blotting in murine lungs 8 h after CA/CPR (n = 7 mice/group). **p < 0.01, simvastatin versus lipid emulsion. Data are mean ± SD, analyzed by Student’s t-test. (B) Representative Western blot detecting COX2 protein in murine pulmonary tissue homogenates 8 h after CA/CPR. (C) COX2 expression in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells following 24 h of TNF-alpha (10 ng/ml), pravastatin or simvastatin treatment (25 μg/ml, respectively). **p = 0.0023 versus control; ***p < 0.0001 versus control; ANOVA/Bonferroni. (D) Scratch wound assay. Pictures were taken following 8 h of statin exposure. (E, F) Quantitative summary of n = 6 independent experiments using pravastatin or simvastatin. *p = 0.0125 and ***p = 0.0001 versus saline, ANOVA/Bonferroni (E); *p = 0.0111 and ***p = 0.001 versus DMSO, and ##p = 0.0019 versus 25 μg/ml simvastatin (F). (G) Representative histograms acquired by flow cytometry show annexin-V- or propidium iodide-positive cells. Solid color = vehicle; light green or orange = 25 μg/ml statin; yellow line = 50 μg/ml statin. COX2 = cyclooxygenase-2; DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide; other abbreviations as in Figure 1.