Simvastatin improves endothelial cell function by inhibiting endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) through an epigenetic regulatory mechanism, according to a study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research. “Previous studies have shown that statins improve our blood vessels independent of their LDL cholesterol-lowering effects, but the mechanism behind it is not fully understood,” says study investigator Joseph Wu. “Our findings provide a novel epigenetic angle that explains statins’ pleiotropic effects.”