[Effects of atorvastatin calcium on osteopontin in renovascular hypertensive rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of atorvastatin calcium on development of vascular remodeling and osteopontin (OPN) in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Methods: The 2-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive rats were prepared with SD rats. Twenty-one rats were randomly selected seven rats as the control group (n=7), the remaining rats were randomly divided into hypertension group (n=7) and the statins group (n=7) after the establishment of model. Statins group was treated with atorvastatin calcium 30 mg/kg/d four weeks after model construction and then given through lavage for 8 consecutive weeks. All rats were evaluated for caudal systolic blood pressure (SBP) and blood lipid, microscopic changes in vascular structure and ratio of intima media thickness to lumen diameter (MT/LD) of thoracic aorta. Expressions of OPN were assessed with immunohistochemical staining, and expressions of OPN mRNA with fluorescence quantitative PCR.

Results: Compared with control group, hypertension group showed significant increase in SBP, MT/LD, and the expression of OPN and OPN mRNA, and significant decrease in HDL level. As compared with hypertension group, MT/LD and the expression of OPN and OPN mRNA of statins group were significantly decreased, while its HDL level significantly increased.

Conclusion: Hypertension can lead to high expression of artery OPN, atorvastatin calcium was shown to improve the development of vascular remodeling in rats, possibly associated with decreased expression of OPN.