[Effects of atorvastatin calcium on osteopontin in renovascular hypertensive rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of atorvastatin calcium on development of vascular remodeling and osteopontin (OPN) in renovascular hypertensive rats.


METHODS
The 2-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive rats were prepared with SD rats. Twenty-one rats were randomly selected seven rats as the control group (n=7), the remaining rats were randomly divided into hypertension group (n=7) and the statins group (n=7) after the establishment of model. Statins group was treated with atorvastatin calcium 30 mg/kg/d four weeks after model construction and then given through lavage for 8 consecutive weeks. All rats were evaluated for caudal systolic blood pressure (SBP) and blood lipid, microscopic changes in vascular structure and ratio of intima media thickness to lumen diameter (MT/LD) of thoracic aorta. Expressions of OPN were assessed with immunohistochemical staining, and expressions of OPN mRNA with fluorescence quantitative PCR.


RESULTS
Compared with control group, hypertension group showed significant increase in SBP, MT/LD, and the expression of OPN and OPN mRNA, and significant decrease in HDL level. As compared with hypertension group, MT/LD and the expression of OPN and OPN mRNA of statins group were significantly decreased, while its HDL level significantly increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension can lead to high expression of artery OPN, atorvastatin calcium was shown to improve the development of vascular remodeling in rats, possibly associated with decreased expression of OPN.
Yang
Song
S
Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
Zhou
Jian-zhong
JZ
Chen
Yong-hong
YH
D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C506897:Spp1 protein, rat; D053495:Osteopontin; D000069059:Atorvastatin