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Tsilimigras DI, Thanopoulou K, Salagianni M, Siasos G, Oikonomou E, Perrea DD, Nirakis N, Filis K, Tsioufis K, Tousoulis D, Sigala F. Rosuvastatin Attenuates Progression of Atherosclerosis and Reduces Serum IL6 and CCL2 Levels in Apolipoprotein-E-deficient Mice. In Vivo 2023; 37:994-1002. [PMID: 37103114 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice develop atherosclerotic lesions that closely resemble metabolic syndrome in humans. We sought to investigate how rosuvastatin mitigates the atherosclerotic profile of Apoe-/- mice over time and its effects on certain inflammatory chemokines. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighteen Apoe-/- mice were allocated into three groups of six mice each receiving: standard chow diet (SCD; control group); high-fat diet (HFD); and HFD and rosuvastatin at 5 mg/kg/d orally via gavage for 20 weeks. Analysis of aortic plaques and lipid deposition was conducted by means of en face Sudan IV staining and Oil Red O staining. Serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, plasma glucose and triglyceride levels were determined at baseline and after 20 weeks of treatment. Serum interleukin 6 (IL6), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the time of euthanasia. RESULTS The lipidemic profile of Apoe-/- mice on HFD deteriorated over time. Apoe-/- mice on HFD developed atherosclerotic lesions over time. Sudan IV and Oil Red O-stained sections of the aorta revealed increased plaque formation and plaque lipid deposition in HFD-fed mice compared with SCD-fed mice and reduced plaque development in HFD-fed mice treated with rosuvastatin compared with mice not receiving statin treatment. Serum analysis revealed reduced metabolic parameters in HFD-fed mice on rosuvastatin compared with non-statin, HFD-fed mice. At the time of euthanasia, HFD-fed mice treated with rosuvastatin had significantly lower IL6 as well as CCL2 levels when compared with HFD-fed mice not receiving rosuvastatin. TNFα levels were comparable among all groups of mice, irrespective of treatment. IL6 and CCL2 positively correlated with the extent of atherosclerotic lesions and lipid deposition in atherosclerotic plaques. CONCLUSION Serum IL6 and CCL2 levels might potentially be used as clinical markers of progression of atherosclerosis during statin treatment for hypercholesterolemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diamantis I Tsilimigras
- Division of Vascular Surgery, First Propedeutic Department of Surgery, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece;
- N.S. Christeas Laboratory for Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kalliopi Thanopoulou
- Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Salagianni
- Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Gerasimos Siasos
- First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Oikonomou
- First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Despina D Perrea
- N.S. Christeas Laboratory for Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Nirakis
- Division of Vascular Surgery, First Propedeutic Department of Surgery, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Filis
- Division of Vascular Surgery, First Propedeutic Department of Surgery, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Tsioufis
- First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Tousoulis
- First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Fragiska Sigala
- Division of Vascular Surgery, First Propedeutic Department of Surgery, Hippokration Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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