GSE111125
Therapeutic effects of Rosuvastatin in hypercholesterolemic prediabetic mice in the absence of low density lipoprotein receptor
Statins are efficient in preventing cardiovascular disease progression, but their effects in the absence of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and on the risk of diabetes are not yet well characterized. The aim was to clarify systemic and pleiotropic effects of Rosuvastatin on cardiovascular and diabetic phenotypes in hypercholesterolemic prediabetic mice. The IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 animals were tested for Rosuvastatin effects on plasma glucose, insulin, lipids, atherosclerosis and liver steatosis. To achieve a more comprehensive view, genes differentially expressed in response to Rosuvastatin were identified by RNA sequencing in liver tissue. Rosuvastatin significantly reduced plasma cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic LDLR – deficient mice, but had no effects on atherosclerosis development at aortic sinus level and in coronary arteries. Rosuvastatin also significantly reduced liver steatosis without any pronounced effects on glucose or insulin levels. RNA sequencing revealed that Rosuvastatin – responsive hepatic genes are involved in cholesterol metabolism and in anti-inflammatory response. In addition, significant changes were detected in the expression of Perilipin 4 and 5 which are involved in lipid droplet formation in the liver. For the first time it was shown that Tribbles proteins are affected by Rosuvastatin treatment in the hypercholesterolemic mice. In conclusion, Rosuvastatin treatment had several positive effects in hypercholesterolemic mice showing early signs of diabetes, and many of these outcomes are unrelated to direct effects on cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism. These results increase our understanding about the systemic and pleiotropic effects of Rosuvastatin in the absence of LDLR expression. Overall design: Gene expression profiling of mouse liver tissue from Rosuvastatin and placebo fed mice overexpressing IGF-II with a knock-out of LDL-receptor and expressing only ApoB100.