Simvastatin, a potent HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor, inhibits the Proliferation of Human and Bovine Endothelial Cells in vitro

We investigated in vitro effect of simvastatin, a potent 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, on the proliferation of human and bovine endothelial cells (EC) compared to that of bovine smooth muscle cells (SMC). Cells were cultured in a medium supplemented with 10% normal serum (FBS). Simvastatin at concentrations ranging from 0.1 microg/ml to 10 microg/ml were used. In each kind of cells the proliferation was markedly reduced at 1 microg/ml of simvastatin (P<0.01) which was accompanied by morphological changes in the cell shape. We conclude that simvastatin inhibits the proliferation of not only the smooth muscle cells but also the endothelial cells.