144
Views
8
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

Pitavastatin Attenuates Leukocyte-Endothelial Interactions Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Rat Retina

, , , , , & show all
Pages 10-17 | Received 27 Apr 2008, Accepted 24 Oct 2008, Published online: 02 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

Purpose: Statins (3-hydroxy-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have been shown to lower serum cholesterol levels in clinical use. Moreover, it has been reported that statins exert pleiotropic and beneficial effects on vascular endothelium. Therefore, we investigated the effects of pitavastatin, a new statin, on leukocyte accumulation during ischemia-reperfusion injury. Materials and Methods: Transient retinal ischemia was induced in Long-Evans rats for 60 min by temporal ligation of the optic nerve. Pitavastatin (0.12, 0.35, or 1.1 mg/kg) was administered 5 min prior to the induction of retinal ischemia. Leukocyte-endothelial interactions in the post-ischemic retina were evaluated in vivo with acridine orange digital fluorography. The number of rolling leukocytes, number of accumulated leukocytes, and diameters of the major retinal artery and vein were evaluated. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA expression in the retina was semiquantitatively studied using the RT-PCR method. Results: Pitavastatin-treated rats at doses of 0.35 and 1.1 mg/kg showed mild arterial narrowing (p < 0.01) and venous dilation (p < 0.01) compared with vehicle-treated (ischemic) rats. In rats treated with 0.35 mg/kg pitavastatin, the number of rolling leukocytes was significantly reduced by 35.5% (p < 0.01) 12 hr after reperfusion compared with that of vehicle-treated rats. With treatment at a dose of 0.35 mg/kg pitavastatin, the number of accumulated leukocytes was reduced to 68.7% (p < 0.01) 24 hr after reperfusion. Moreover, pitavastatin treatment significantly reduced ICAM-1 mRNA expression in the retina during ischemia-reperfusion injury. Conclusions: Pitavastatin effectively attenuated ischemia-induced leukocyte-endothelial interactions in the rat retina.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 65.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 555.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.