title: Atorvastatin Pretreatment Inhibits Myocardial Inflammation and Apoptosis in Swine After Coronary Microembolization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In addition to its cholesterol-lowering effect, atorvastatin (ATV) has been thought to have multiple cardiovascular benefits, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. The present study was undertaken to determine whether ATV pretreatment could attenuate myocardial apoptosis and inflammation and improve cardiac function in a swine model of coronary microembolization (CME).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four swine were randomly and equally divided into a sham-operated (control) group, CME group, and CME plus ATV group. Swine CME was induced by intracoronary injection of inert plastic microspheres (diameter 42 μm) into the left anterior descending coronary, with or without pretreatment of ATV. Echocardiographic measurements, a pathological examination, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling staining, and Western blotting were performed to assess the functional, morphological, and molecular effects in CME.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression levels of caspase 3 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were aberrantly upregulated in cardiomyocytes following CME. Downregulation of caspase 3 and TNF-α with ATV pretreatment was associated with improved cardiac function and attenuated serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. In addition, through a Pearson correlation analysis, the left ventricular ejection fraction negatively correlated with caspase 3, TNF-α, and cTnI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that ATV pretreatment could significantly inhibit CME-induced myocardial apoptosis and inflammation and improve cardiac function. The data generated from this study provide a rationale for the development of myocardial apoptosis and inflammation-based therapeutic strategies for CME-induced myocardial injury.
authors: 1 Department of Cardiology, Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jiang-You
authors: JY
authors: Wang
authors: 2 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Han
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: 1 Department of Cardiology, Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Su
authors: 3 Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
authors: You
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: 3 Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lang
authors: L
authors: Li
keywords: apoptosis; atorvastatin; coronary microembolization; inflammation