Associations between statins and coronary artery disease and stroke risks in patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome: A time-dependent regression study

BACKGOUND AND AIMS

We aimed at determining the effects of statin use on coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke risks in patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome (ACOS).

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled patients with ACOS treated with (N = 916) and without (N = 6338) statins. The cumulative incidence of CAD and stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) was analyzed through time-dependent Cox proportional regression. After adjustment for sex, age, comorbidities, inhaled corticosteroid steroid (ICS) use, and oral steroid (OS) use, we calculated the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CAD or stroke in the statin users (long-term [>600 days] and short-term [≤600 days]) compared with the non-users.

RESULTS

Among the statin users, aHRs (95% CIs) for CAD and stroke were 0.50 (0.41-0.62) and 0.83 (0.63-1.09), respectively; moreover, aHRs were 0.30 (0.09-0.99) and 0.90 (0.68-1.20) for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, respectively. aHRs (95% CIs) for CAD and stroke were 0.58 (0.47-0.71) and 0.93 (0.70-1.23), respectively, in the short-term users and 0.23 (0.13-0.41) and 0.42 (0.19-0.89), respectively, in the long-term users.

CONCLUSIONS

CAD risk was lower in all statin users, regardless of the duration of use, whereas ischemic stroke risk was lower only in the long-term statin users. No association was observed between hemorrhagic stroke risk and statin use.

Nanostructured lipid carriers containing rapamycin for prevention of corneal fibroblasts proliferation and haze propagation after burn injuries: In vitro and in vivo

Chemical burns are a major cause of corneal haze and blindness. Corticosteroids are commonly used after corneal burns to attenuate the severity of the inflammation-related fibrosis. While research efforts have been aimed toward application of novel therapeutics. In the current study, a novel drug delivery system based nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were designed to treat corneal alkaline burn injury. Rapamycin, a potent inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, was loaded in NLCs (rapa-NLCs), and the NLCs were characterized. Cell viability assay, cellular uptake of NLCs, and in vitro evaluation of the fibrotic/angiogenic genes suppression by rapa-NLCs were carried out on human isolated corneal fibroblasts. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were also performed after treatment of murine model of corneal alkaline burn with rapa-NLCs. According to the results, rapamycin was efficiently loaded in NLCs. NLCs could enhance coumarin-6 fibroblast uptake by 1.5 times. Rapa-NLCs efficiently downregulated platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta genes in vitro. Furthermore, proliferation of fibroblasts, a major cause of corneal haze after injury, reduced. IHC staining of treated cornea with alpha-smooth muscle actin and CD34 ⁺ antibodies showed efficient prevention of myofibroblasts differentiation and angiogenesis, respectively. In conclusion, ocular delivery of rapamycin using NLCs after corneal injury may be considered as a promising antifibrotic/angiogenic treatment approach to preserve patient eyesight.

Simvastatin Increases the Ability of Roflumilast N-oxide to Inhibit Cigarette Smoke-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Well-differentiated Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells in vitro

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoking contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in COPD small bronchi as part of the lung remodeling process. We recently observed that roflumilast N-oxide (RNO), the active metabolite of the PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast, prevents cigarette smoke-induced EMT in differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells. Further, statins were shown to protect renal and alveolar epithelial cells from EMT.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze how RNO and simvastatin (SIM) interact on CSE-induced EMT in well-differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells (WD-HBEC) from small bronchi in vitro.

METHODS

WD-HBEC were stimulated with CSE (2.5%). The mesenchymal markers vimentin, collagen type I and α-SMA, the epithelial markers E-cadherin and ZO-1, as well as β-catenin were quantified by real time quantitative PCR or Western blotting. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using the H2DCF-DA probe. GTP-Rac1 and pAkt were evaluated by Western blotting.

RESULTS

The combination of RNO at 2 nM and SIM at 100 nM was (over) additive to reverse CSE-induced EMT. CSE-induced EMT was partially mediated by the generation of ROS and the activation of the PI3K/Akt/β-catenin pathway. Both RNO at 2 nM and SIM at 100 nM partially abrogated this pathway, and its combination almost abolished ROS/ PI3K/Akt/β-catenin signaling and therefore EMT.

CONCLUSIONS

The PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast N-oxide acts (over)additively with simvastatin to prevent CSE-induced EMT in WD-HBEC in vitro.