Effect of atorvastatin on the expression of gamma-glutamyl transferase in aortic atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E–knockout mice

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders

Research Article

Rong Ai¹  Fang Chen²  Xiao-wei Wu³  Wei-hua Lu⁴  Zhong-zhi Tang⁴  Gang Li⁴ 

[1] College of Foreign Language, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, China;Department of Medicine Laboratory, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Wuhan, China;Department of Thoracic Surgery, TongJi Hospital, TongJi Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;Emergency Department, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, 430074, Wuhan, China;

关键词: Statins;    Atherosclerosis;    Gamma-glutamyltransferase;    Inflammation;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2261-14-145

 received in 2014-08-02, accepted in 2014-10-10,  发布年份 2014

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundGamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is now considered to be one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, whether statins can alter GGT levels in arterial atheromatous plaque has not yet been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine whether statins can effectively decrease the expression of GGT in arterial atheromatous plaques.MethodsWe randomly divided 45 apolipoprotein E–knockout (ApoE KO) male mice into three groups: normal diet (ND) group,high-cholesterol diet (HCD) group and high-cholesterol diet and atorvastatin (HCD + Ato) group. We fed high-cholesterol food to the HCD and HCD + Ato group. After eight weeks, atorvastatin 5 mg•kg−1•d−1 was given to HCD + Ato group mice. The serum GGT-1, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels were measured at end of 16 weeks by using ELISA methods. The expressions of GGT-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in aorta were measured by RT-PCR and Western Blot.ResultsThe ApoE KO mice with HCD were associated with a marked increase in plasma lipid, inflammatory factors, GGT-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. The expressions of GGT-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in HCD aortic tissue were increased. At the HCD + Ato group were treated with atorvastatin, the levels of lipid, GGT-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1were suppressed. Meanwhile, the expressions of GGT-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were significantly decreased in the whole aorta plaques.ConclusionsThe effect of statins on the expression of GGT in aorta plaque was firstly observed in animal model. The research shows that statins can significantly decrease the expression of GGT in aortic atherosclerotic plaques.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Li et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014