Atorvastatin slows down the deterioration of inner ear function with age in mice.
Statins have revolutionized the treatment of hypercholesterolemia due to their ability to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis. Their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects and positive effects on the treatment of atherosclerosis and its complications are well known. Here, we describe the effects of statins on the treatment of presbycusis in C57BL/6J mice. In this strain with accelerated aging, we demonstrate that animals treated with atorvastatin (10mg/kg per day in chow diet) for 2 months showed larger amplitudes of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) than did the non-treated control group. This finding indicates a better survival of outer hair cell function in the inner ear of C57BL/6J mice. The observed decreased expression of intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules in the aortic wall of atorvastatin-treated animals suggests that reducing endothelial inflammatory effects may contribute to the positive effect of atorvastatin on the amplitudes of DPOAE by influencing the blood supply to the inner ear. No such beneficial effect of statins was found in apoE(-/-) mice treated with atorvastatin under the same conditions. Our results suggest that statins could also slow down the age-related deterioration of hearing in man.
Syka
Josef
J
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídenská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic. syka@biomed.cas.cz
Ouda
Ladislav
L
Nachtigal
Petr
P
Solichová
Dagmar
D
Semecký
Vladimír
V
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000187:drug effects; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D000069059:Atorvastatin