Cambridge researchers writing in the journal Circulation Research say that statins may be able to prevent the premature aging of the arteries that is the hall mark of heart disease and the same drugs may prevent damage elsewhere in the body.
While it has been known for some time that statins can lower cholesterol levels, this did not fully account for the benefits experienced by some patients, and evidence is growing that they can boost the function of the cells lining the heart arteries.
The Cambridge study adds to this evidence, and may shed light on how statins do this.
In people with coronary artery disease the cells in the arteries divide between seven and 13 times more often than normal. It appears that statins may prevent this excessive cell division. Statins increase levels of a protein called NBS-1, which is involved in the repair of DNA within cells. This means that the cells may be able to hold off the effects of old age in the artery wall.
