Effect of lovastatin on cell surface expression of Fc receptors or CD14 antigen in human monocytes

Lovastatin is a widely used anticholesterolemic drug which exercises its effect by inhibiting hepatic cholesterol synthesis and up-regulating low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors. In the present study, we determined that the drug has no adverse effects on the expression of three cell surface antigens of human monocytes, i.e. high affinity Fc receptors (Fc gamma RI), low affinity Fc receptors (Fc gamma RII) and CD14 antigen. We have shown previously these antigens are regulated by cholesterol and lipoproteins. At 0.5 micrograms/mL of culture medium, lovastatin did not reduce the percentage of receptor-positive cells or the average number of receptor molecules per cell. These observations add to the attractiveness of the drug as an anticholesterolemic agent and also indicate that endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis by monocytes is not required for expression of Fc gamma RI, Fc gamma RII, or CD14.