Coenzyme Q(10) protects against -cell toxicity induced by pravastatin treatment of hypercholesterolemia

Author(s)

Lorza-Gil, Estela ^[1] ; de Souza, Jane C. ^[1] ; Garcia-Arevalo, Marta ^[1] ; Vettorazzi, Jean F. ^[1] ; Marques, Ana Carolina ^[1] ; Salerno, Alessandro G. ^[1] ; Trigo, Jose Roberto ^[2] ; Oliveira, Helena C. F. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Struct & Funct Biol, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Anim Biol, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology; v. 234, n. 7, p. 11047-11059, JUL 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

New onset of diabetes is associated with the use of statins.We have recently demonstrated that pravastatin-treated hypercholesterolemic LDL receptor knockout (LDLr-/-) mice exhibit reductions in insulin secretion and increased islet cell death and oxidative stress. Here, we hypothesized that these diabetogenic effects of pravastatin could be counteracted by treatment with the antioxidant coenzyme Q (10) (CoQ (10)), an intermediate generated in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. LDLr (-/-) mice were treated with pravastatin and/or CoQ (10) for 2 months. Pravastatin treatment resulted in a 75% decrease of liver CoQ (10) content. Dietary CoQ (10) supplementation of pravastatin-treated mice reversed fasting hyperglycemia, improved glucose tolerance (20%) and insulin sensitivity (>2-fold), and fully restored islet glucose-stimulated insulin secretion impaired by pravastatin (40%). Pravastatin had no effect on insulin secretion of wild-type mice. In vitro, insulin-secreting INS1E cells cotreated with CoQ (10) were protected from cell death and oxidative stress induced by pravastatin. Simvastatin and atorvastatin were more potent in inducing dose-dependent INS1E cell death (10-15-fold), which were also attenuated by CoQ (10) cotreatment. Together, these results demonstrate that statins impair -cell redox balance, function and viability. However, CoQ (10) supplementation can protect the statins detrimental effects on the endocrine pancreas. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/50400-0 - Mitochondrial energy metabolism, redox state and functionality in cell death and cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative disorders
• Grantee: Aníbal Eugênio Vercesi
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/07607-8 - OCRC - Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center
• Grantee: Licio Augusto Velloso
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC