Simvastatin Treatment Upregulates HO-1 in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm but Independently of Nrf2

Figure 1

Simvastatin treatment increases HO-1 protein, but not mRNA level in AAA. (a) Protein level of HO-1 (measured with ELISA) in aneurysm wall of nonstatin and simvastatin-treated patients. (b) Changes in total glutathione and the ratio of GSH/GSSG in aortic aneurysm wall. (c) Immunofluorescent staining of HO-1 in ECs and SMCs in aortic aneurysm wall. HO-1, heme oxygenase 1; Nrf2, nuclear factor E2-related factor-2; vWF, von Willebrand factor (EC marker); SMV, myosin smooth muscle heavy chain (SMC marker). (d) Nrf2 level in AAA tissue. Densitometry data and representative blot. (e) mRNA levels of Nrf2-dependent genes: NQO1, GCLM, and HMOX1 in AAA wall. (f) Localization of Nrf2 in AAA wall. The brown color represents positive staining (IHC). Vasa vasorum is indicated by asterisks (). Inflammatory infiltration indicated by hash (#) was stronger in the nonstatin patient. (g) Illustrates the distribution of Nrf2 and HO-1 staining (IF) within AAA tissue. Average data from panels a, b, d, and e represents mean ± SE.

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