New effect of atorvastatin: augmenting ApoJ expression in cardiomyocytes

AIM To investigate whether atorvastatin suppresses cell injury induced by angiotensin II (AngII) via enhancing apolipoprotein J (ApoJ) expression. METHODSCultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) were incubated with AngII for 24 h or preincubated with atorvastatin or ApoJ for 1 h. Cell injury was analyzed by MTT and caspase-3/7 assay kits and ApoJ expressions were detected using Western blot analysis. RESULTSAngII significantly increased cell viability and decreased apoptotic cardiomyocytes. ApoJ expression was significantly reduced by AngII. These effects were abolished by atorvastatin. Moreover, ApoJ administration exerted similar effects on NRVMs as atorvastatin. CONCLUSIONAtorvastatin may mediate cardioprotection against cell injury induced by AngII via elevating ApoJ expressions.