Skip Navigation



Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on June 15, 2005
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dei120
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
20/10/2866    most recent
dei120v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kenis, I.
Right arrow Articles by Lishner, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kenis, I.
Right arrow Articles by Lishner, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved.
Received April 12, 2005
Accepted May 6, 2005

Article

Simvastatin has deleterious effects on human first trimester placental explants

I. Kenis 1, S. Tartakover-Matalon 1*, N. Cherepnin 2, L. Drucker 1, A. Fishman 3, M. Pomeranz 3, and M. Lishner 4

1 Oncogenetic Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine ‘A’
2 Department of Internal Medicine ‘F’
3 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba
4 Oncogenetic Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine ‘A’; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
S. Tartakover-Matalon, E-mail: matalon.shelly{at}clalit.org.il


  Abstract

BACKGROUND: Statins inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, and have been used successfully in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia. Animal models have provided evidence for the teratogenic effects of statins on pregnancy outcome. Thus statins are contraindicated during pregnancy. However, conflicting data are available from inadvertent use of statins in human pregnancy. Therefore we decided to explore the effects of simvastatin on the placenta in an in vitro human placental model. METHODS: Human first trimester placental explants that were grown on matrigel were exposed to medium supplemented with simvastatin. Migration of extravillous trophoblast cells was assessed by visual observation. Proliferative and apoptotic events of the trophoblast cells were assesed by immunohistochemical examination using anti-Ki67 and anti-activated caspase-3 antibodies respectively. Hormone levels were measured. RESULTS: Simvastatin sharply inhibited migration of extravillous trophoblast cells from the villi to the matrigel (P < 0.05). Moreover, simvastatin inhibited half of the proliferative events in the villi (P < 0.05) and increased apoptosis of cytotrophoblast cells compared to control. Moreover, simvastatin significantly decreased secretion of progesterone from the placental explants (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Simvastatin adversely affects human first trimester trophoblast.

Keywords: migration/pregnancy/proliferation/simvastatin/trophoblast.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 BMJHome page
M. Kendrick
Should women be offered cholesterol lowering drugs to prevent cardiovascular disease? No
BMJ, May 12, 2007; 334(7601): 983 - 983.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
S. Tartakover-Matalon, N. Cherepnin, M. Kuchuk, L. Drucker, I. Kenis, A. Fishman, M. Pomeranz, and M. Lishner
Impaired migration of trophoblast cells caused by simvastatin is associated with decreased membrane IGF-I receptor, MMP2 activity and HSP27 expression
Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2007; 22(4): 1161 - 1167.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular DiseaseHome page
H. R Murphy, R. C Temple, and J. M Roland
Improving outcomes of pregnancy for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes
The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease, January 1, 2007; 7(1): 38 - 42.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.