The effect of atorvastatin on cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats
- Author:
Xiao-Guang CHEN
1
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases
2006;3(7):307-311
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To explore the effect and its mechanism of atorvastatin on cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats. Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: pretreatment group (n = 20), they were fed atorvastatin 10 mg/kg/d for 15 days before the model was made; treatment group (n = 20), they were fed atorvastatin 10 mg/kg at the same day the model was made and continued for 2 days; isotonic saline group (n = 10), instead of atorvastatin, they were fed the same volume of isotonic saline for 15 days before the model was made; and normal control group (n = 10). The SAH model was made by injection of autoblood into cistern magna in rats. On the second day after the model was made, their lipid levels were measured, and neurological deficit scores were assessed; the diameter of basilar artery was measured automatically by the image analysis system after hematoxylin-eosin staining; the levels of serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), interleukin 1 (IL-1) and IL-6 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); and ICAM-1 and leucocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in basilar artery were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The lipid levels in all groups showed no significant differences. The neurologic function scores in the pretreatment group, treatment group and normal control group were 24.3 ± 2.6, 22.0 ± 2.9 and 27.0 ± 0.0, respectively. In comparison with the isotonic saline group (14.2 ± 3.2), there were significant differences (P < 0.05). The diameter of basilar artery in the pretreatment group (169 ± 14 μm) showed significant differences (P < 0.01) with that in the treatment group (146 ± 12 μm) and isotonic saline group (138 ± 18 μm), while no significant differences (P > 0. 05) between the pretreatment group and the normal control group (182 ± 14) μm. The results of ELISA showed that ICAM-1 , LFA-1 and IL-6 expression in the pretreatment group was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than those in the treatment and isotonic saline groups; The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of ICAM-1 and IL-6 mRNA in the pretreatment group was significantly lower than that in the treatment and isotonic saline groups. Conclusion: Atorvastatin clearly relieves basilar artery vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and improves neurologic function in rats. The mechanism may be associated with its inhibiting the inflammatory reaction after SAH, weakening the interaction between ICAM-1 and LFA-1, and it is not associated with the lowering of lipid levels.
