Abstract:

Abstract:Objective To detect the expression of activin receptorⅡA（ActRⅡA）in atherosclerosis(AS) plaque tissue and investigate the association between ActRⅡA and effect of statins, and to clarify the  anti-inflammatory mechanisms and potential signal transduction pathway of statins.Methods 24 apoE-/- mices were randomly divided into control group,high fat diet group,high fat diet plus atorvas
tatin  group,and they were separately given normal mouse forage,high fat diet,high fat diet plus atorvastatin.After 8 weeks,the serum triglyceride(TG) and total cholesterol(TC) were detected,the pathological changes of the aortic arch were observed by HE staining and the expression of ActRⅡA in atherosclerotic plaques was determined by immunohistochemical method.Results ①The serum TG and TC and the expression of ActRⅡA of mice in high fat diet group  and high fat diet plus atorvastatin group  were higher than those in control group(P<0.05),and they were decreased in high fat diet plus atorvastatin group compated with high fat diet group(P<0.05).
②Compared with control group,the HE staining results  showed obvious atherosclerotic plaques in aortic arch in high tat diet  group
 and high fat diet plus atorvastatin group,but atherosclerotic plaque in high fat diet plus atorvastatin group  had the thicken intima,rare foam cells and thicker fiber cap,the plaques were more stable. ③The immunohistochemical assay showed little expression of ActRⅡA in control group,whereas ActRⅡA had obviously positive expressions in the other two groups.The expression of ActRⅡA in high fat diet plus atorvastatin group  was lower than that in high fat diet group.Conclusion The expression of ActRⅡA could be detected in the pla
ques in this experiment,and ActRⅡA may be involved in the formation of AS. Statins could decrease the levels of TG,TC and expression of ActRⅡA in atherosclerotic plaque,suggested that statins may play their anti-inflammatory mechanisms by acting on ActRⅡA or its signal transduction pathway .

Key words: artherosclerosis;activin A;actRⅡA;atorvastatin