Depressant Effect And Mechanism Of Atorvastatin On The Chronic Rejection Of Aortic Allotransplantation

SectionⅠOBJECTIVE Establishment of aortic allotransplantation model of chronic allograft rejection in rat.METHODS The rats were classified into two groups, allograft group (SD-Wistar) was 7 rats, isograft group (Wistar-Wistar) was 6 rats. The models of abdominal aorta transplantation were made with micro-surgery in rats. The pathology and immunohistochemistry of transplant aorta was observed on 60 days after transplantation. Vascular intimal thickness and the ratio of intimal thickening area in the two groups were observed by histological examination. The expression of PCNA andα-SMA were determined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS In this study, the rats can survived over 2 months. The animal model of chronic rejection can be established 60 days after transplantation. The vascular intimal thickness in rats of allograft group (35.20%±5.60%) were higher than those in isograft group (1.30%±0.50%; P<0.05). The expression level of PCNA in allograft group (19.20%±1.60%) was higher than isograft group (1.40%±0.40%; P<0.05). CONCLUSION It was feasible to use aortic transplantation as a simple chronic rejection model. The changes of aortic allgraft was analogous to arteriosclerosis of chronic rejection in human. SectionⅡOBJECTIVE To investigate the depressant effect of atorvastatin on the chronic rejection of aortic allotransplantation in rats.METHODS The models of abdominal aortic transplantation were made with micro-surgery in rats. The recipients were divided into three groups: allograft control group (SD-Wistar), atorvastatin-treated group (SD-Wistar) and isograft control group (Wistar-Wistar). Vascular intimal thickness and the ratio of intimal thickening area in all of the groups were observed by histological examination. The expression of PCNA andα-SMA were determined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS The vascular intimal thickness in rats of atorvastatin-treated group (19.60%±2.40%) were lower than those in allograft control group (37.60%±5.40%; P<0.05) and higher than those in isograft control group (2.10%±0.60%; P<0.05). The expression level of PCNA was decreased in atorvastatin-treated group (4.80%±0.80%) than allograft control group (18.40%±1.80%; P<0.05) and higher than isograft control group (1.20%±0.40%; P<0.05).CONCLUSION The expression of PCNA in the transplant aorta could be suppressed by atorvastatin, which resulted in relief of chronic rejection of aortic allograf; and this effect shows favourable perspective of clinical application on the chronic rejection.