Song XM, Zhao MN, Li GZ, Li N, Wang T, Zhou H. Atorvastatin ameliorated myocardial fibrosis in db/db mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and modulating macrophage polarization. World J Diabetes 2023; 14(12): 1849-1861 [PMID: 38222782 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v14.i12.1849]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hong Zhou, PhD, Chief Physician, Doctor, Department of Endocrinology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang 050000, Hebei Province, China. zhoubs2013@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Article-Type of This Article
Basic Study
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Diabetes. Dec 15, 2023; 14(12): 1849-1861 Published online Dec 15, 2023. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v14.i12.1849
Atorvastatin ameliorated myocardial fibrosis in db/db mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and modulating macrophage polarization
Xian-Min Song, Meng-Nan Zhao, Gui-Zhi Li, Na Li, Ting Wang, Hong Zhou
Xian-Min Song, Meng-Nan Zhao, Gui-Zhi Li, Na Li, Ting Wang, Hong Zhou, Department of Endocrinology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050000, Hebei Province, China
Xian-Min Song, Department of Geriatrics, Handan Central Hospital, Handan 056001, Hebei Province, China
Author contributions: Zhou H designed the study and revised the manuscript; Song XM performed the experiments and drafted the manuscript; Zhao MN participated in data processing and revised the manuscript; Li GZ and Li N contributed to animal feeding; Wang T performed statistical analyses; and all authors contributed to the article and approved the submission of this manuscript.
Supported bythe Health Commission of Hebei Province, No. 20220998.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All procedures were approved by the Animal Experimental Ethics Committee of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University and the Animal Health Care Guidelines to minimize animal suffering.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: Data will be made available on request.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong Zhou, PhD, Chief Physician, Doctor, Department of Endocrinology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang 050000, Hebei Province, China. zhoubs2013@163.com
Received: September 15, 2023 Peer-review started: September 15, 2023 First decision: September 20, 2023 Revised: September 29, 2023 Accepted: October 23, 2023 Article in press: October 23, 2023 Published online: December 15, 2023 Processing time: 90 Days and 6.2 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background
Statins were initially used to lower blood lipids; however, in addition to their lipid-lowering effects, statins are involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response and play an important role in cardiovascular protection. Macrophage polarization is involved in a variety of pathological processes. Macrophage polarization is likewise involved in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Research motivation
DCM is one of the serious complications of diabetes mellitus, and we wanted to explore whether atorvastatin could mitigate the effects on DCM by affecting macrophage polarization to reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cardiac fibrosis.
Research objectives
We used db/db mice as a type 2 diabetes model and randomly divided into three groups: The db/db mice received daily oral gavage of sterilized water group, atorvastatin group and metformin group. C56BL/6 mice were used as the control group.
Research methods
Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography. Histological evaluations are hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. ELISA and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were also used.
Research results
Treatment with atorvastatin improved cardiac dysfunction in db/db mice. Atorvastatin reduced the levels of serum myocardial injury markers; lowered the levels of Inflammatory cytokines in serum and myocardium; decreased indicators of oxidative stress in myocardium of db/db mice; inhibited M1 macrophages and promoted M2 macrophages.
Research conclusions
Administration of atorvastatin attenuates myocardial fibrosis in db/db mice, which may be associated through modulating macrophage polarization.
Research perspectives
Our study further confirms the protective role of statins in cardiovascular disease and provides a new therapeutic target for DCM.
