title: Simvastatin attenuates radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Statins are widely used lipid-lowering drugs, which have pleiotropic effects, such as anti-inflammation, and vascular protection. In our study, we investigated the radioprotective potential of simvastatin (SIM) in a murine model of radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six Institute of Cancer Research mice were randomly divided into four groups: solvent + sham irradiation (IR) (Group I), SIM + sham IR (Group II), IR + solvent (Group III), and IR + SIM (Group IV). SIM (10 mg/kg body weight, three times per week) was administered intraperitoneally 1 week prior to IR through to the end of the experiment. Saliva and submandibular gland tissues were obtained for biochemical, morphological (hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome), and Western blot analysis at 8 hours, 24 hours, and 4 weeks after head and neck IR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IR caused a significant reduction of salivary secretion and amylase activity but elevation of malondialdehyde. SIM remitted the reduction of saliva secretion and restored salivary amylase activity. The protective benefits of SIM may be attributed to scavenging malondialdehyde, remitting collagen deposition, and reducing and delaying the elevation of transforming growth factor β1 expression induced by radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SIM may be clinically useful to alleviate side effects of radiotherapy on salivary gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiayan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongcheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xinchen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: mice; radiation protection; simvastatin; submandibular gland; transforming growth factor-β1