Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Isolation of Murine Coronary Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Published on: May 30, 2016
Simvastatin Modulates Interaction Between Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell/Macrophage and TNF-α-Activated Endothelial Cell
Fujiang Chu1, Min Wang1, Hongyan Ma2
1School of Basic Courses, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Cellular interactions between endothelial cell (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)/macrophages seem to be greatly changed under inflammatory conditions. Although simvastatin could regulate inflammatory transcription factors in EC and VSMC and also could inhibit leukocyte-endothelium interaction, whether it could modulate VSMC/macrophage functions that are induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-activated EC remained unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of simvastatin on VSMC/macrophage functions, which are induced by TNF-α-activated EC in coculture system in vitro. The results showed that under noncontacting conditions, simvastatin could reduce the proliferation, apoptosis, and TNF-α, IL-6, and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion both in VSMC and macrophage, which is induced by TNF-α-activated EC. And a hypothesis that simvastatin regulates the interactions and the soluble factors between EC and VSMC/macrophages could be drawn. And that might be a potential anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of simvastatin.
Related Concept Videos
Functions of Smooth Muscles
Function of visceral smooth muscles
Visceral smooth muscle is found in the walls of all hollow organs, except the heart, and is a key player in the involuntary movements that drive the functioning of these internal organs. This tissue is arranged in...
Smooth Muscle Contraction
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles
Structure of smooth muscle cell
Smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped with tapering ends and a...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

