[Effects of losartan and simvastatin on collagen content, myocardial expression of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA in pressure overload rat hearts].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of simvastatin(Sim) and losartan(Los) on cardiac fibrosis and myocardial expression of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA in pressure overloaded rat hearts.


METHODS
The pressure overload model was induced by descending aortic constriction (DAC) in rats. SD rats were randomized into 6 groups (n = 20 each): normol control group, control sham group, DAC group, Los group (DAC + Los, 5 mg/kg), Sim group (DAC + Sim, 2 mg/kg), Los + Sim group (DAC + Los + Sim, Los 5 mg/kg, Sim 2 mg/kg). Water, Los or Sim drug was administrated by gavage daily beginning from day 5 after operation for 30 days. Collagen was measured on Masson stained myocardial sections, and the level of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA in left ventricle were detected by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Collagen volume fraction (CVF) in DAC group was significantly higher than the normal control and sham groups (P < 0.01) which could be significantly reduced by Los and Sim (P < 0.05), especially in DAC + Los + Sim group (P < 0.01). The levels of myocardial MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA were also significantly higher in DAC group than in normal control and sham groups (P < 0.01). Treatment Sim and Los alone and especially in combination significantly decreased the TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA expressions (P < 0.01) while MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA levels remained unchanged (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Upregulation of myocardial MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA expressions might contribute to myocardial fibrosis in this model, Sim and Los significantly inhibited myocardial fibrosis possibly by downregulating myocardial TIMP-1 mRNA, TIMP-2 mRNA expressions in this model.
Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230001, China.
Xiao-qian
XQ
Xing
Jian
J
Xu
Xiong-wen
XW
Lü
Yan
Y
Huang
Peng-li
PL
Zhu
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000378:metabolism*; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism
D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D019821:Simvastatin; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D019808:Losartan