title: Atorvastatin treatment induced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha expression and decreased plasma nonesterified fatty acids and liver triglyceride in fructose-fed rats.
abstract: We aimed to investigate the effect of atorvastatin (5 and 30 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks) on hepatic lipid metabolism in a well established model of dietary hypertriglyceridemia, the fructose-fed rat. Fructose feeding (10% fructose in drinking water for 2 weeks) induced hepatic lipogenesis and reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) expression and fatty acid oxidation. As a result, plasma and liver triglyceride and plasma apolipoprotein B (apoB) levels were increased. Atorvastatin, 5 and 30 mg/kg during 2 weeks, markedly reduced plasma triglyceride, but decreased apoB levels only at the highest dose tested (50%). Triglyceride biosynthetic enzymes and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein were unchanged, whereas liver PPARalpha, acyl-CoA oxidase, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I mRNA levels (1.9-, 1.25-, and 3.4-fold, respectively) and hepatic fatty acid beta-oxidation activity (1.25-fold) were increased by atorvastatin at 30 mg/kg. Furthermore, hepatic triglyceride content (45%) and plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) (49%) were reduced. These results show for the first time that liver triglyceride increase in fructose-fed rats is linked to decreased expression of PPARalpha, which is prevented by atorvastatin treatment. The increase in PPARalpha expression caused by atorvastatin was associated with reduced liver triglyceride and plasma NEFA levels.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Farmacología y Farmacognosia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, Avenida Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roglans
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanguino
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peris
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alegret
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Adzet
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Laguna
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000378:metabolism; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005632:Fructose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D011758:Pyrroles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014280:Triglycerides; D005632:Fructose; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D005947:Glucose