Effects of simvastatin on aortic vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and Bcl-2 protein expression in a rat model of atherosclerosis
HU Sigan
LI Hui
KANG Pinfang
CHEN Tianping
LI Miaonan
ZHU Jian
GAO Dasheng
ZHANG Heng
WANG Hongju
Abstract：Objective To explore the effects of simvastatin on vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and Bcl-2 protein expression in the aorta in a rat model of atherosclerosis. Methods Thirty-six rats were randomized into control group (n=10), atherosclerosis model group (n=13) and simvastatin intervention group (n=13). In the latter two groups, rat models of atherosclerosis were established by intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D3 combined with high-fat feeding for 6 weeks, and the control rats were fed with regular diet. In the intervention group, the rats were further fed with high-fat diet with daily simvastatin treatment for 4 weeks. After the treatments, the pathological changes and plaque in the thoracic aorta were observed, and the expression of Bcl-2 protein was detected with immunohistochemistry. TUNEL assay was used to determine the apoptosis index (AI) of the vascular endothelial cells. Results Compared with that in the control group, Bcl-2 protein expression in the aorta of atherosclerotic rats was significantly decreased (P<0.05); simvastatin treatment obviously increased the expression of Bcl-2 protein in atherosclerotic rats (P<0.05) to a level similar to that in the control group. The AI was the highest in the model group (P<0.05) and comparable between the control and simvastatin treatment group. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of simvastatin against atherosclerosis is probably mediated by up-regulation of Bcl-2 protein, which inhibits vascular endothelial cell apoptosis in rats with aortic atherosclerosis.
Keywords：atherosclerosisapoptosissimvastatinBcl-2immunehistochemistry
Publication Date：2017-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 1456-1460 )