title: Simvastatin attenuates the cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response in a rat traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to important and deleterious inflammation, as evidenced by edema, cytokine production, induction of nitric oxide synthase, and leukocyte infiltration. After TBI, the activation of cerebral vascular endothelial cells plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. In this study, we hypothesized that the activation of cerebral vascular endothelial cells plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and outcome after TBI. It may represent a key cellular target for statin therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our study, cortical contusions were induced, and the effect of continuous treatment of simvastatin on behavior and inflammation in adult rats following experimental TBI was evaluated. The treatment group received 15 mg/kg of simvastatin daily for 3 days. Neurological function was assessed with the grip test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the non-treatment control group had a significantly greater increase in ICAM-1 expression from pre-injury to the post-injury 72 h time point as compared to the expression in treatment group. The treatment group had better neurological function as evidenced in a grip test performed from baseline to 72 h. The analysis of a western blot test and pathology also demonstrated reduced ICAM-1 expression and a smaller area of damage and tissue loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that simvastatin could attenuate the activation of cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response and decrease the loss of neurological function and brain tissue.
authors.affiliation: PhD; Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, 70 LienHai Road, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan; phone: 886 7 6150011 5327; fax: 886 7 6155352; e-mail: q1207@ms8.hinet.net.
authors.forename: Kuo-Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Han-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Po-Chou
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Liliang
authors.forename: Cheng-Loong
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yu-Duan
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chung-Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: ICAM-1; Simvastatin; cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response; traumatic brain injury