Pitavastatin attenuates the PDGF-induced LR11/uPA receptor-mediated migration of smooth muscle cells

Statins, inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, elicit various actions on vascular cells including the modulation of proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Here, we have elucidated the mechanism by which statins, in particular pitavastatin, attenuate the migration activity of SMCs. The expression of LR11, a member of the LDL receptor family and an enhancer of cell surface localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), is increased in cultured SMCs by treatment with PDGF-BB. Pitavastatin attenuates the PDGF-BB -induced surface expression of LR11 and uPAR. The increased migration of SMCs observed both upon overexpression of LR11 and via stimulation of secretion of soluble LR11 is not reversed by pitavastatin. In vivo studies showed that the SMCs expressing LR11 in plaques are almost congruent with intimal cells expressing nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (SMemb). Pitavastatin reduced the expression of LR11 and SMemb, and the levels of LR11, uPAR, and SMemb in cultured intimal SMCs were reduced to those seen in medial SMCs. We propose that this statin reduces PDGF-induced migration through the attenuation of the LR11/uPAR system in SMCs. Modulation of the LR11/uPAR system with statins suggests a novel treatment strategy for atherogenesis based on suppression of intimal SMC migration.