title: [The effect of simvastatin on alveolar epithelial cells in cigarette smoking-induced emphysema].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to explore the effect of simvastatin on alveolar epithelial cells and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cigarette smoking-induced emphysema in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  twenty-four, 12-week-old healthy male and female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 6 each: a control (W) group, a smoking (Sm) group, a simvastatin (St) group, and a smoking-simvastatin (SmSt) group. The rats were simultaneously fed, and kept in individual cages for 16 weeks. The VEGF level in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of each group was measured by ELISA. The expression of VEGF mRNA was determined by RT-PCR. The expressions of VEGF and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were determined by two-step immunohistochemistry assay. One-way ANOVA and LSD-t test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the percentage of PCNA-positively stained alveolar epithelial cells was significantly higher in the SmSt group [(10.3 ± 2.0)%] than in the Sm group [(4.8 ± 0.8)%]. The levels of VEGF in BALF and lung tissue homogenate of the SmSt group [(187 ± 15) ng/L and (6782 ± 50) ng/L] were similar to the W group [(200 ± 20) ng/L and (7558 ± 330) ng/L], but were significantly higher than that in the Sm group [(71 ± 16) ng/L and (4149 ± 110) ng/L]. VEGF expression in alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells of rats in the SmSt group [(67.7 ± 5.0)% and (49.0 ± 3.0)%], was similar to the W group [(68.3 ± 3.3)% and (51.3 ± 2.9)%]. But the level of VEGF expression was significantly increased as compared to that in the Sm group [(27.0 ± 5.9)% and (16.3 ± 2.7)%]. SmSt group vs Sm group t = 1.117 - 12.001, all P < 0.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  simvastatin ameliorated the development of cigarette smoke-induced COPD in rats, partly by promoting alveolar epithelial cell proliferation and up-regulating the expression of VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Institution of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yue
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yan-Duo
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: De-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bao-Sen
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012907:Smoking; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D019821:Simvastatin