UBC Study Shows How Statins Leak Calcium Into Muscle — SkimNews
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- University of British Columbia researchers, working with University of Wisconsin-Madison colleagues, identified that statins attach to the ryanodine receptor (RyR1) in muscle cells and force the calcium channel open, causing continuous calcium leakage that can injure tissue.
- Using cryo-electron microscopy, the team observed that three statin molecules bind sequentially to a specific pocket — the first while the channel is closed, then two more molecules entering to hold it open and sustain the leak.
- The study focused on atorvastatin but the researchers said the results suggest similar interactions likely occur across the broader statin drug family.
- Dr. Steven Molinarolo, lead author and UBC postdoctoral researcher in biochemistry and molecular biology, said the team could see "almost atom by atom" how statins latch onto the channel and that the calcium leak "explains why some patients experience muscle pain or, in extreme cases, life-threatening complications."
- Dr. Filip Van Petegem, senior author and professor at UBC's Life Sciences Institute, called it "the first time we've had a clear picture of how statins activate this channel" and described it as a "roadmap for designing statins that don't interact with muscle tissue."
- The findings were published in Nature Communications (2025, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66522-0), with cryo-EM imaging performed at UBC's high-resolution macromolecular facility.
Why it matters: More than 200 million people worldwide take statins, and the source notes that milder side effects like soreness, weakness, and fatigue drive some patients to discontinue medication — losing cardiovascular protection. By mapping exactly how statins hijack the RyR1 calcium channel, researchers now have a concrete molecular target for redesigning the drug so future versions retain their cholesterol-lowering benefits without the muscle interaction.
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