Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32339771›Full record

ArticleMolecular metabolism2020

Conserved statin-mediated activation of the p38-MAPK pathway protects Caenorhabditis elegans from the cholesterol-independent effects of statins.

Irina Langier Goncalves, Sharon Tal, Liza Barki-Harrington, Amir Sapir

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular metabolism, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 54% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Irina Langier GoncalvesDepartment of Biology and the Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa-Oranim, Tivon, 36006 Israel.
Sharon TalDepartment of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
Liza Barki-HarringtonDepartment of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
Amir SapirDepartment of Biology and the Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa-Oranim, Tivon, 36006 Israel. Electronic address: amirsapir1@gmail.com.
University of Haifa · ILOranim Academic College of Education · IL

Funding

Enhancing and expanding the CGC Strain CollectionP40OD010440 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI Aric L Daul, Ann E. Rougvie · 2012 to 2026
$7.5M
NIH HHS P40 OD010440
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveStatins are a group of medications that reduce cholesterol synthesis by inhibiting the activity of HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. The clinical use of statins to lower excess cholesterol levels has revolutionized the cardiovascular field and increased the survival of millions, but some patients have adverse side effects. A growing body of data suggests that some of the beneficial and adverse effects of statins, including their anti-inflammatory, anti-tumorigenic, and myopathic activities, are cholesterol-independent. However, the underlying mechanisms for these effects of statins are not well defined.

methodsBecause Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) lacks the cholesterol synthesis branch of the mevalonate pathway, this organism is a powerful system to unveil the cholesterol-independent effects of statins. We used genetic and biochemical approaches in C. elegans and cultured macrophage-derived murine cells to study the cellular response to statins.

resultsWe found that statins activate a conserved p38-MAPK (p38) cascade and that the protein geranylgeranylation branch of the mevalonate pathway links the effect of statins to the activation of this p38 pathway. We propose that the blockade of geranylgeranylation impairs the function of specific small GTPases we identified as upstream regulators of the p38 pathway. Statin-mediated p38 activation in C. elegans results in the regulation of programs of innate immunity, stress, and metabolism. In agreement with this regulation, knockout of the p38 pathway results in the hypersensitivity of C. elegans to statins. Treating cultured mammalian cells with clinical doses of statins results in the activation of the same p38 pathway, which upregulates the COX-2 protein, a major regulator of innate immunity in mammals.

conclusionsStatins activate an evolutionarily conserved p38 pathway to regulate metabolism and innate immunity. Our results highlight the cytoprotective role of p38 activation under statin treatment in vivo and propose that this activation underlies many of the critical cholesterol-independent effects of statins.

Indexed as

AnimalsBiomarkersCaenorhabditis elegansCholesterolGene ExpressionGene Expression ProfilingGene Knockdown TechniquesHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsImmunity, InnateMacrophagesMAP Kinase Signaling SystemMevalonic AcidMonomeric GTP-Binding Proteinsp38 Mitogen-Activated Protein KinasesPhosphorylationStress, PhysiologicalBiomarkersCholesterolHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsMevalonic AcidMonomeric GTP-Binding Proteinsp38 Mitogen-Activated Protein KinasesC. elegansCholesterol-independent effectCOX-2GeranylgeranylationInnate immunity.Mevalonate pathwayp38 pathwaySmall GTPasesStatins

Identifiers

PMID32339771
PMCPMC7240216
OpenAlexW3020175265

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.