Effects of fluvastatin on expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in renal tissue of chronic graft versus host disease lupus nephritis in mice

Abstract

To explore the effects of fluvastatin on expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) in renal tissue of chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) lupus nephritis in mice. Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups of model, low-dose fluvastatin intervention (5 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)), high-dose fluvastatin intervention (10 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) and normal control. The 24 h total amount of urine protein was evaluated by biuret reaction colorimetric assay. And the protein and mRNA expression levels of p38MAPK, p-p38MAPK and TGF-β1 in renal tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively. Compared with the normal control group, 24 h total amount of urine protein, protein and mRNA expression levels of p38MAPK, p-p38MAPK and TGF-β1 increased significantly in the model group respectively ((7.84 ± 0.36) vs (1.15 ± 0.15) mg/24 h, 0.81 ± 0.03 vs 0.50 ± 0.01, 0.69 ± 0.02 vs 0.10 ± 0.01, 0.76 ± 0.02 vs 0.28 ± 0.02, 0.84 ± 0.04 vs 0.25 ± 0.02, 0.82 ± 0.04 vs 0.12 ± 0.02, all P < 0.01). Fluvastatin treatment suppressed markedly their increased expressions (P < 0.05). And high-dose fluvastatin treatment suppressed more significantly than low-dose group (P < 0.05). The renal protection effect of fluvastatin may be achieved by inhibiting the signal pathway of p38MAPK.