title: The effect of atorvastatin on lung histopathology in a murine model of chronic asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atorvastatin is a statin group medicine that reduces the level of serum cholesterol; thus it is used to treat hypercholesterolaemia. Independent of the cholesterol-lowering property of statins they also have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of atorvastatin on histological changes in the lungs in a murine model of chronic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight BALB/c mice in Group I, II, III and IV were divided into four groups. All the mice except the control group (Group I) were sensitised with ovalbumin. Intraperitoneal injection with saline, atorvastatin (10mg/kg), dexametazon (1mg/kg) was administered to Group II, Group III, and Group IV respectively for five consecutive days. Mice were sacrificed 24h after the last drug administration. All the histological properties of lung tissue samples from all groups were evaluated with light and electron microscopy. In addition, IL-4 and IL-5 levels of the lung tissue were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When Group II and Group III (atorvastatin) were compared, thicknesses of basement membrane and subepithelial smooth muscle layer, height of epithelium, number of mast and goblet cells were significantly lower in Group III. In comparing Group III (atorvastatin) and Group IV (dexamethasone), all the improvements in histological parameters were similar. In addition, the IL-4 and IL-5 levels of the lung tissue were significantly lower in atorvastatin group (Group III) compared to placebo-treated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atorvastatin had a beneficial effect on histological changes in a chronic murine model of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: fatihfirinci@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fırıncı
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cilaker-Mıcılı
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagrıyanık
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uzuner
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozkan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karaman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000473:pathology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin
keywords: Asthma; Atorvastatin; Mice