Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Abstract

The Effects of Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Statins on Bone Tissue Mineralization in Saos2 Human Bone Cell Line–In vitro Comparative Study

Dolkart O, Pritsch T, Sharfman Z, Somjen D, Salai M, Maman E and Steinberg EL

We analyzed the effects of of commonly used statins that belong to lipophilic and hydrophilic groups on human osteoblastic cell activity in vitro, specifically proliferation and tissue mineralization. Proliferation and mineralisation assays were performed on the following drugs: rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin and mevastatin. Cells were exposed to the drugs for 24 h and analyzed for DNA synthesis. Mineralization was analyzed after 21 days of drugs treatment. Rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin stimulated DNA synthesis to different extents while mevastatin had no effect. The most effective drugs in terms of proliferation were rosuvastatin (8 μg/ml by 219+25%)> pravastatin (10 μg/ml by 185+16%)> atorvastatin (10 μg/ml by 171+6%)> simvastatin (30 μg/ml by 152+10%). Rosuvastatin inhibited mineralization by 57+3% and pravastatin stimulated it by 127+5%, while all other compounds totally destroyed cells. Our results indicate that particular statins increase bone proliferation and bone mineralization in cell lines, suggesting a potential for these compounds to be beneficial in patients with established osteoporosis and and may enhance a fracture healing process. However, other statins may inhibit the mineralization process, and even induce cell death.