Effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibition on erythrocyte membrane cholesterol and acyl chain composition

The effect of atorvastatin on erythrocyte membranes and serum lipids in patients with type-2 hypercholesterolemia

“…In this study the reduction of membrane cholesterol concentration in patients with type-2 hypercholesterolemia after the treatment with atorvastatin was observed. In Dwight et al, changes in mean erythrocytes and plasma cholesterol levels in both groups are respectively about 4% and 6% [33]. Martinez et al estimated that the membrane cholesterol in red blood cells in the control group was 1.26 mg/ml and in familial hypercholesterolemic patients amounted to 2.22 mg/ml [10].…”

“…The literature presents different views on the influence of statins on the fluidity of plasmatic [40] after pravastatin therapy. Other authors did not find any changes in the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes during simvastatin therapy [33,41]. However, still others indicated a biphasic course of changes in the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes in familial heterozygotic hypercholesterolemia during treatment with simvastatin and pravastatin -a decrease after 2 months and an increase in fluidity after 4 months and 6 months [42].…”

“…However, the literature presents ambiguous views on the maintenance of the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes in hypercholesterolemia. Some authors demonstrated an increase in its microviscosity [10,36], while others obtained contrary results [13,33,37].…”

Effects of Diet and Simvastatin on Fatty Acid Composition in Hypercholesterolemic Men

“…Second, we did not measure fatty acid composition in important target tissues such as vascular endothelium and platelet membranes. In erythrocytes, a 2-month treatment with simvastatin is capable to induce measurable changes (an increase in arachidonic acid content of the membrane), 31 but erythrocytes differ in many respect from other cells in the body. Third, the formation of eicosanoids and other relevant usually short-living mediators synthesized from arachidonic acid and other PUFAs were not measured here.…”

Statin Use is Associated with a Significant Reduction in Cholesterol Content of Erythrocyte Membranes. A Novel Pleiotropic Effect?

“…Previous studies have reported a decrease of CEM in animals and humans after use of pravastatin, simvastatin and atorvastatin [9][10][11][30][31][32][33], while other studies reported no significant effect of statins on CEM [34][35][36][37]. Differences in patient population and animal model selection may account for these discrepancies.…”