Therapeutics: CD59; complement C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC)

Cell culture and patient-derived cell studies suggest statins could help treat vascular damage associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Intracellular levels of CD59 were higher in vascular endothelial cells from patients with OSA who were not on statin therapy than in cells from OSA patients who were on statins or from healthy controls. In a human endothelial cell line incubated with normal human serum, hypoxic conditions increased cholesterol-dependent CD59 internalization, deposition of MAC on the cells and markers of inflammation compared with normoxic conditions. In the serum-incubated cells under hypoxic conditions, Lipitor atorvastatin increased CD59 levels and decreased MAC levels on the cell surface compared with no treatment. Next steps include investigating the molecular mechanisms by which hypoxic conditions affect cholesterol and inflammation pathways in OSA...