Effects of atorvastatin on the expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in cardiac fibroblasts

Objective:To study the effects of atorvastatin on the expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in cardiac fibroblasts(CF).Methods: Cardiac fibroblasts of neonatal rats were cultured in vitro,cell morphology was observed.As one of the characters of CFS,protein vimentin was detected with immunofluorescence histochemistry.The activity of MMP-9 was measured by gelatinase zymograph,and mRNAs of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected by RT-PCR.Results:The activity and the mRNA expression of MMP-9 were increased by AngⅡ(P0.05),while the expression of TIMP-1 was decreased.Atorvastatin can reverse the above changes to some extent.Conclusion:Through modulating the expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1,atorvastatin may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation.