Effects of atorvastatin on TGF-β RI mRNA expression in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts

[Objective]To investigate the effects of atorvastatin on the expression of transforming growth factorbeta receptor type Ⅰ (TGF-β RⅠ) mRNA induced by aldosterone in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. [Methods]The neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were isolated by trypsin digestion method. The expression of TGF-β RⅠ mRNA was detected by RT-PCR method. [Results]After TGF-β RⅠ mRNA expression increased in 4 hour, and which reached the maximal level at 8 hour. Aldosterone (10-7 mol/L) after Atorvastatin down-regulated TGF-β RⅠ mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent fashion, whereas mevalonate reversed it. [Conclusion]Atorvastatin can inhibit the aldosterone-induced expression of TGF-β RⅠ mRNA in cardiac fibroblasts by a mevalonate mechanism.