Effects of atorvastatin on cardiac myocyte hypertrophy of neonatal rat induced by angiotensinII in vitro and TLR4 expression

AIM:To assess effects of atorvastatin (Ator) on cardiac myocytes (CM) hypertrophy of neonatal rat induced by angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ) in vitro and Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression for theoretical bases of preventing and treating myocardial hypertrophy. METHODS: CM of neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were isolated with trypsin digestion method and those growth-arrested cells were stimulated with 10-7 mol/L AngⅡ in the presence of various concentrations of Ator. The method of coomassie brilliant blue was adopted to evaluate the protein contents of CM. The changes in β-MHC, AT1 receptor and TLR4 mRNA expression were observed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: ① AngⅡ increased the protein content of CM and β-MHC mRNA expression significantly, upregulated AT1 receptor and TLR4 gene expression. ② In a dose-dependent manner, Ator inhibited the increases in the protein contents of CM and β-MHC mRNA expression induced by AngⅡ. ③ In a dose-dependent manner, Ator downregulated the AT1 receptor and TLR4 mRNA expression of CM hypertrophy of neonatal rat induced by AngⅡ. CONCLUSION: Ator inhibits CM hypertrophy, downregulates the AT1 receptor and TLR4 gene expression