Atorvastatin ameliorated myocardial fibrosis in db/db mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and modulating macrophage polarization

Figure 3 Expression of markers of cardiac injury and indicators of inflammation in the serum of each group. A–C: Serum creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and troponin (cTnI) were measured using the automatic biochemical instrument. Compared with C57BL/6 mice (CON group), db/db mice that received daily oral gavage of sterilized water (DM group) had elevated serum CK-MB, LDH and cTnI. db/db mice that received daily oral gavage of 10 mg/kg/d atorvastatin (DM + ATO) or db/db mice that received daily oral gavage of 200 mg/kg metformin (DM + MET) group had decreased serum CK-MB, LDH and cTnI; D–F: The levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1β in the serum samples were detected by ELISA. Compared with CON group, the serum levels of TGF-β1, TNF-α, and IL-1β were markedly elevated. In the DM + ATO and DM + MET groups, these indicators were markedly lower. Data represent the means ± SD (n = 5). ^aP < 0.05 compared with db/db mice received daily oral gavage of sterilized water group. ^bP < 0.05 compared with C57BL/6 mice. DM: db/db mice received daily oral gavage of sterilized water; DM + ATO: db/db mice received daily oral gavage of 10 mg/kg/d atorvastatin; DM + MET: db/db mice received daily oral gavage of 200 mg/kg metformin. CON: C57BL/6 mice.