The Effect Of Atorvastatin On Cardiac Function In Chronic Heart Failure Rats And The Possible Mechanisms

Objective:To study the effect of atorvastatin on cardiac function, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),apoptosis index,left ventricular weight index in chronic heart failure(CHF) rats,and investigate the possible mechanisms.Methods:CHF model was induced by doxorubicin and rats were randomly divided into heart failure group(n=11) and atorvastatin group (n=10).Another normal 10 SD rats served as the control group. Atorvastatin group were treated with atorvastatin(10mg/kg.d),heart failure group and control group were treated with distilled water.After 4 weeks' treatment,measured the body weight,left ventricular weight and calculated left ventricular weight index(left ventricular weight/body weight);echocardiographic measured left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular end- systolic diameter(LVESD) and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF);The serum levels of NT-proBNP,TNF-αwere measured by ELISA;myocadiocyte apoptosis index were measured by TUNEL.Results:(1)Compared with the control group,NT-proBNP,TNF-α, myocadiocyte apoptosis index and left ventricular weight index were significant increased(all P<0.01) in the heart failure control group and atorvastatin group.Between the heart failure group and the atorvastatin group,these markers in the atorvastatin group were significantly decreased(all P<0.05).(2)Compared with the control group,LVEDD, LVESD were significant increased(all P<0.01),LVEF was markly decreased(P<0.01)in the heart failure group and the atorvastain group. To compared with the heart failure group,LVEDD and LVESD were significantly decreased in the atorvastatin group(P<0.05),while LVEF was markly increased(P<0.05),but there are no significant different in left ventricular weight and left ventricular weight index between the two groups(all P>0.05)(3)The level of TNF-αwas negative correlation with the LVEF(r=-0.450,P=0.023),but it was correlated positively with NT-proBNP(r=0.590,P=0.017).A negative correlation was found between myocadiocyte apoptosis index(r=-0.310,P=0.042) and LVEF, and a positive correlation between the myocadiocyte apoptosis index and NT-proBNP(r=0.370,P=0.043).Conclusion:(1) In CHF rats,the myocadiocyte apoptosis index,left ventricular weight index and the levels of TNF-αwere significantly increased,the cardiac remodeled markly and the cardiac function decreased severely.(2) Atorvastatin could improve the cardiac function, the mechanisms may be by reducing the levels of TNF-αand the myocadiocyte apoptosis index.