Atorvastatin increases Fads1, Fads2 and Elovl5 gene expression via the geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate-dependent Rho kinase pathway in 3T3-L1 cells

Numerous clinical studies have reported that statins increase the plasma concentration of arachidonic acid, which is an ω-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA), and decrease the concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are ω-3 LCPUFAs. These findings indicate that statins may affect the endogenous synthesis of LCPUFAs, which is regulated by fatty acid desaturases (FADSs) and elongation of very long-chain fatty acids proteins (ELOVLs). The present study aimed to investigate the roles of the intrinsic mevalonate cascade and Rho-dependent pathway in statin-induced regulation of these desaturases and elongases, as well as cell viability using mouse 3T3-L1 cells. mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with atorvastatin decreased cell viability and increased the mRNA expression levels of Fads1, Fads2 and ELOVL fatty acid elongase 5 (Elovl5) in a dose-dependent manner. Mevalonate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), but not cholesterol, fully reversed the atorvastatin-induced downregulation of cell viability and upregulation of gene expression; however, mevalonate itself did not affect cell viability and gene expression. The Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor Y-27632 inhibited the mevalonate- and GGPP-mediated reversal of atorvastatin-induced upregulation of Fads1, Fads2 and Elovl5. These findings indicated that statins may affect the endogenous synthesis of LCPUFAs by regulating Fads1, Fads2 and Elovl5 gene expression via the GGPP-dependent Rho kinase pathway in mouse 3T3-L1 cells.