ATROVASTATIN UTILIZES AUTOPHAGY ACTIVATION TO PROTECT MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AGAINST HYPOXIA AND SERUM DEPRIVATION-INDUCED APOPTOSIS VIA AMP-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE/MAMMALIAN TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN PATHWAY

The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is hindered by their low survival rate after transplantation in post-infarct heart. Statins, a convincing candidate to reduce MSCs apoptosis, has been proved to have connections with autophagy. Autophagy is a complex “self-eating&rdquo