Effect of fluvastatin on vascular endothelial growth factor in rats with osteoporosis in process of fracture healing.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of fluvastatin on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rats with osteoporosis in the process of fracture healing.


METHODS
Fractures at the intermediate piece of the femur were made on 72 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (weighing initially 290-340 g and aged 6 months) with osteoporosis after ovariectomy for three months, then these rats were divided randomly into the medication administration group (the experimental group) and the control group, 36 rats each. In the experimental group, the rats received fluvastatin lavage (10 mg/kg per day) since the next day of operation lasting for 6 weeks, and the rats in the control group received placebo. Then the expression of VEGF and VEGF mRNA in bony callus of the two groups was measured respectively with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization on days of 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, and 42nd, and image analysis was made with real-color image analysis machine.


RESULTS
No difference was found in the cellular localization of VEGF and VEGF mRNA gene expression between the experimental group and the control group in process of fracture healing and their expression modes were almost similar. On the 14th day postoperatively, the positive extent of positive cells in the experimental group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Fluvastatin can promote the VEGF level in rats with osteoporosis in process of fracture healing.
Mao-wei
Yang
Y
Department of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. mwyang@mail.cmu.edu.cn
Yue
Zhu
Z
Guan-jun
Tu
T
Gang
Lü
L
D000818:Animals; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D017102:Fracture Healing; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D007211:Indoles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077340:Fluvastatin