Original Articles
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2022)
A nitric oxide-donor pravastatin hybrid drug exerts antiplatelet and antiatherogenic activity in mice
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 9 February 2022
Accepted: 6 May 2022
Accepted: 6 May 2022
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Aim of the present study was to compare the lipid-lowering, antithrombotic and antiatherogenic properties of NCX-6550, nitropravastatin, a nitric-oxide donating derivative of pravastatin, with those of pravastatin in hypercholesterolemic mice. LDL receptor-deficient mice (LDLR–/–) on a normal diet (ND) showed enhanced cholesterol levels as compared to wild type (WT) mice (6.8±1.2 mmol/L and 2.8±0.82 mmol/L, respectively). High fat diet (HFD) induced a large enhancement of cholesterolemia in LDLR–/– mice (23.7±5.7 mmol/L, p<0.0001 vs LDLR–/– ND and WT mice. Treatment with NCX 6550 (48 mg/kg), but not with equimolar pravastatin, reduced cholesterol in LDLR–/–HFD. Platelet adhesion to collagen under high shear rate (3000 sec–1) was significantly higher in LDLR–/– than in normal mice, and further enhanced in LDLR–/–HFD (-27%, p<0.0001 vs untreated). NCX 6550 (48 mg/kg), but not pravastatin, reduced platelet adhesion, especially in LDLR–/–HFD. U46619-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo was also inhibited by NCX 6550 (48 mg/kg) but not by the parent compound. Finally, photochemically-induced acute (1 hr) femoral artery thrombosis and delayed (21 days) intimal thickening was assessed. Thrombus size was larger in LDLR–/– on HFD than in normocholesterolemic mice (0.46±0.04 vs 0.18±0.08 mg) and it was reduced by NCX 6550 (48 mg/kg) (0.08±0.02 mg, p<0.0001), but not by pravastatin (0.4±0.01 mg p=NS). Intimal thickening was greater in hypercholesterolemic than in normal mice (I/M normal=0.53±0.16, LDLR–/–=1.1±0.15, LDLR–/–HFD=1.75 ±0.25). Both NCX 6550 and pravastatin reduced intimal thickening in normal (-95% and -74.5%, respectively) and LDLR–/– mice (-98% and -91%), while in strongly hyperlipidemic animals (LDLR–/–HFD) NCX 6550 was more effective than pravastatin (-98% vs -65%, p<0.0001). NCX 6550 shows greater antithrombotic and antiatherogenic activity than pravastatin in highly hypercholesterolemic mice.
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Momi S, Guglielmini G, Ciarroca Taranta G, Giglio E, Monopoli A, Gresele P. A nitric oxide-donor pravastatin hybrid drug exerts antiplatelet and antiatherogenic activity in mice. Bleeding Thromb Vascul Biol [Internet]. 2022 May 23 [cited 2025 Nov. 7];1(2). Available from: https://www.btvb.org/btvb/article/view/19
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