Lipid lowering effects of pravastatin in common marmosets

In the present study it was examined if the common marmoset was susceptible to pravastatin (CAS 81131-70-6, CS 514, Mevalotin), an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. It has been reported that serum lipid levels in common marmosets resemble those in humans. First serum total cholesterol and lipoprotein cholesterol levels of common marmosets were examined in comparison with those in seven different experimental animals including cynomolgus monkeys, beagle dogs, Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits, Japanese White Rabbits, Sprague Dawley rats, Wistar-Imamichi rats and golden hamsters. The animals were fed normal chow diets, and total- and lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were determined under identical conditions. The quantitative and polyacrylamide electrophoresis studies indicated that among animals examined serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles in common marmosets were similar to those in humans. When pravastatin at 1-30 mg/kg was orally administered to common marmosets for 28 days, total, low density lipoprotein (LDL)- and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were decreased in a dose dependent manner, whereas triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol did not change. These findings confirm that common marmosets have serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles similar to those in humans suggesting that they are susceptible to lipid lowering effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.