title: Combination of fluvastatin and losartan relieves atherosclerosis and macrophage infiltration in atherosclerotic plaques in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the combination of fluvastatin and losartan synergistically relieve atherosclerosis and plaque inflammation induced by a high-cholesterol diet in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Atherosclerosis was induced with a high-cholesterol diet for 3 months in 36 New Zealand white rabbits. The animals were randomly divided into model group, fluvastatin (10 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) group, losartan (25 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) group, and fluvastatin plus losartan group. After the 16-week treatments, the blood samples the animals were collected, and the thoracic aortas were examined immunohistochemically. The mRNA and protein expression levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were measured using RT-PCR and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the treatment with losartan or fluvastatin alone, the combined treatment did not produce higher efficacy in reduction of blood cholesterol level. However, the combination did synergistically decrease the intimal and media thickness of thoracic aortas with significantly reduced macrophage infiltration and MCP-1 expression in the plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined treatment with losartan and fluvastatin significantly inhibited atherosclerotic progress and reduced inflammation associated with atherosclerotic plaques.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong University, Ji-nan, China.
authors: Ya-Pei
authors: YP
authors: Yang
authors: Qiu-Li
authors: QL
authors: Dong
authors: Xu-Hong
authors: XH
authors: Zhang
authors: Yue-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Zhang
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhu
authors: Shu-Ying
authors: SY
authors: Li
authors: Zhong-Zhi
authors: ZZ
authors: Liu
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Xu
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Wang
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: Chun-Xi
authors: CX
authors: Liu
authors: Xian-Xi
authors: XX
authors: Liu
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D007211:Indoles; D000077340:Fluvastatin; D002784:Cholesterol; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019808:Losartan