title: Pravastatin prevents aortic atherosclerosis via modulation of signal transduction and activation of transcription 3 (STAT3) to attenuate interleukin-6 (IL-6) action in ApoE knockout mice.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether pravastatin's prevention of aortic atherosclerosis via attenuation of IL-6 action depends on modulation of STAT3 activity. Male apoE knockout (apoE-/-) mice fed on a diet containing 1.25% cholesterol (wt/wt) were divided into pravastatin group provided with pravastatin (80 mg kg(-1) per day) and atherosclerosis group. After eight weeks, pravastatin significantly prevented atherosclerotic lesion and reduced levels of IL-6 in serum and lesion, and significantly decreased expressions of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) and increased suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expressions in lesions. Our results suggested that pravastatin's aortic atherosclerosis preventing action via attenuation of IL-6 action may partially depend on modulation of STAT3 activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str, Nangang District, Harbin 150001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Eye hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str, Nangang District, Harbin 150001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str, Nangang District, Harbin 150001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str, Nangang District, Harbin 150001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li