Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2008-12-23
pubmed:abstractText
Recently, atherosclerosis has been considered to be the result of inflammation. Interestingly, hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme (HMG-Co) A inhibitors (statins), which are clinically used as lipid-lowering agents, have been reported to have various anti-inflammatory effects. As abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common degenerative condition associated with atherosclerosis, this study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of a statin, atorvastatin, on aneurysm formation apart from its lipid-lowering effect. We employed an elastase-induced rat AAA model, as statins do not lower cholesterol in rats. Mean aneurysm diameter was significantly smaller in the atorvastatin treatment group as compared to control at 4 weeks after surgery (P<0.05). Interestingly, atorvastatin inhibited the expression of ICAM and MCP-1, followed by the suppression of macrophage recruitment into the aortic wall at 1 week after operation. A significant reduction in MMP-12, but not MMP-2, -3 and -9, expression was also observed by treatment with atorvastatin at 1 week after surgery. In addition, synthesis of collagen and elastin in the vascular wall were significantly increased by atorvastatin. Here, the present study demonstrated a direct effect of atorvastatin to inhibit the progression of aortic aneurysm, independent of its lipid-lowering effect. This study suggests new therapeutic aspects of statins to inhibit the progression of aneurysms.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
1879-1484
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
202
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
34-40
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Inhibition of development of experimental aortic abdominal aneurysm in rat model by atorvastatin through inhibition of macrophage migration.
pubmed:affiliation
Division of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't