https://www.selleckchem.com/products/valproic-acid.html KEY POINTS This study demonstrates and evaluates the changes in rat vascular smooth muscle cell biomechanics following statin mediated cholesterol depletion. Evidence is presented to show correlated changes in migration and adhesion of vascular smooth muscle cells to extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and collagen. Concurrently, integrin α5 expression was enhanced but not integrin α2. Atomic force microscopy analysis provides compelling evidence of coordinated reduction in vascular smooth muscle cell stiffness and actin cytoskeletal orientation in response to statin mediated cholesterol depletion. Proof is provided that statin mediated cholesterol depletion remodels total vascular smooth muscle cell cytoskeletal orientation that may additionally participate in altering ex-vivo aortic vessel function. It is concluded that statin mediated cholesterol depletion may coordinate vascular smooth muscle cell migration and adhesion to different extracellular matrix proteins and regulate cellular stiffness and cics on aortic function was assessed using an ex-vivo myograph system. Fluvastatin-mediated cholesterol depletion (-27.8%) lowered VSMC migration distance on fibronectin (FN) coated surface (-14.8%) but not on type 1 collagen (COL1) coated surface. VSMC adhesion force to FN (+33%) and integrin α5 expression were enhanced but COL1 adhesion and integrin α2 expression were unchanged upon cholesterol depletion. In addition, VSMC stiffness (-46.6%) and ex-vivo aortic ring contraction force (-40.1%) were lowered and VSMC actin cytoskeletal orientation was reduced (-24.5%) following statin mediated cholesterol depletion. Altogether, it is concluded that statin mediated cholesterol depletion may coordinate VSMC migration and adhesion to different ECM proteins and regulate cellular stiffness and cytoskeletal orientation, thus impacting the biomechanics of the cell and aortic function. This article is protected by cop