Objective: To study the effects and mechanism of lovastatin on cell cycle phase and proliferation of cultured human glomerular mesangial cells in vitro.
Methods: HMC proliferation was determined by 3H-Thymidine incorporation. HMC cell cycle was measured by flow cytometric analysis.
Results: Lovastatin was found to inhibit HMC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that lovstatin induced G1/S transition arrest. Concomitant addition of mevalonate or farnesol restored all the inhibitory effect of lovstatin on HMC.
Conclusion: Lovastatin is a HMC proliferation inhibitor. It provides an experimental evidence for re-evaluate renal protective effect of HRI, which has already been widely used in clinical treatment.