Effect of atorvastatin on calcification of vascular smooth muscle cell in rat aorta in vitro

    LI Huan, JIA Guoª²Liang, ZHANG Rongª²Qing, TAO Huiª²Ren, L¦a Rong, WANG Jun

    1Department of Cardiovasology, 2Department of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the effect of atorvastatin on the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cell (VMSC) in rat aorta in vitro. METHODS: VMSCs were cultured in vitro by tissue explant and the cells were divided into 3 groups: normal group, calcification group and atorvastatin group respectively. In atorvastatin group, atorvastatin was administrated at the final concentration of 10 UM for 24 hours. 10 mmol/L ¦Âª²glycerophosphate, 0.1 ¦Ìmol/L insulin and 50 ¦Ìg/L Vitamin C were then added in calcification group and atorvastatin group to induce VSMC calcification. The treatments were kept for 14 days. Alizarin red S staining was applied to count the calcium nodus and the cell calcium depositions were measured. VSMC proliferation was measured by MTT colorimetry. RESULTS: The count of calcium nodus in atorvastatin group was (4.3¡À1.9)%, which, compared to calcification group (7.4¡À3.8)%, significantly decreased (P<0.01). Cell calcium depositions in calcification group significantly decreased compared to those in atorvastatin group [(5.745¡À0.021) vs (0.163¡À0.053) mmol/g pro, P<0.01]. VSMC proliferation in calcification group significantly increased compared to that in normal group[(0.136¡À0.048) vs (0.045¡À0.020), P<0.01]. In atorvastatin group, VSMC proliferation significantly decreased compared to that in calcification group[(0.038¡À0.010) vs (0.136¡À0.048) ......