Effects of atorvastatin on expression of VCAM-1 in atherosclerotic rabbits

Objective To investigate the expression of VCAM-1 in atherosclerotic rabbits and effects of ator-vastatin in anti-atherosclerosis. Methods Twenty four rabbits were randomly divided into control,cholesterol diet, and atorvastatin group,which were fed for 16 weeks. Serum TC,TG,LDL were measured in 0 and 16 weeks in the three groups. After 16 weeks,the aortas were harvested for pathologic morphology observation,immunohis-tochemistry analysis of VCAM-1 positive percentage and the measurement of VCAM-1 mRNA using reverse tran-scription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were performed. Results Atorvastatin greatly reduced TC and LDL (P0. 01). Atherosclerosis was formed in cholesterol diet and atorvastatin group,the expressions of VCAM-1 and the measurement of VCAM-1 mRNA in cholesterol diet and atorvastatin group were higher than control(P 0. 01),but pathologic changes,intima thickness and intima/medium thickness ratio(I/M) in atorvastatin group reduced than cholesterol diet group(P0. 01) ,the expressions of VCAM-1 and the measurement of VCAM-1 mRNA were lower than cholesterol diet group(P0. 01). Conclusions VCAM-1 can be excessively expressed in atherosclerosis. Atorvastatin not only reduces cholesterole but also inhibits excessive expression of VCAM-1 and has the effect of anti-atherosclerosis.