Pravastatin and Rosiglitazone May Attenuate Coronary Artery Disease by Decreasing Interferon-gamma, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-6, Macrophage Chemotactic Protein-1, C-Reactive Protein, and Increasing Interleukin-4

摘要

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and C-reactive protein (CRP) aggravate coronary artery disease (CAD). Atherosclerotic plagues manifest macrophage chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) increases and IL-4 decreases CRP. IFN-gamma, TNF-a, IL-6, MCP-1, and CRP were elevated, but IL-4 suppressed in diabetics. When pravastatin (80 mg/d) was given to 10 diabetic patients, LDL cholesterol decreased, HDL increased, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-6, MCP-1 and CRP decreased. Addition of rosiglitazone (8 mg/d) induced IL-4 increase and additive decreases in cytokines, MCP-1 and CRP. When rosiglitazone was given to another 10 diabetic patients, LDL cholesterol was increased for the first 2 months, but decreased thereafter, HDL increased, IL-4 increased, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, MCP-1, and CRP decreased. Addition of pravastatin lowered LDL and increased HDL additively. The effects of pravastatin and rosiglitazone in lowering inflammatory and increasing anti-inflammatory IL-4 cytokines, and lowering MCP-1 levels may provide protection in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease.