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

Figure 4 Immunohistochemical staining and relative gene expression of transforming growth factor-β1, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β in each group. A–C: Immunohistochemistry staining of TGF-β1, TNF-α, and IL-1β in each group; D–F: relative gene expression of TGF-β1, TNF-α, and IL-1β in each group. Compared with C57BL/6 mice (CON group), the expression of TGF-β1, TNF-α and IL-1β in db/db mice that received daily oral gavage of sterilized water (DM) group was markedly elevated, and daily oral gavage of 10 mg/kg/d atorvastatin (DM + ATO) or 200 mg/kg metformin (DM + MET) alleviated these manifestations. The DM + MET group showed no effects on IL-1β mRNA expression in the myocardium. 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; TGF-β1: Transforming growth factor-β1; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-1β: Interleukin-1β.