Abstract
Background: Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a serious, progressive lung disease characterized by accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to functional deterioration in lung parenchyma.
Objectives: to characterize the effect of rosuvastatin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, to compare its effect with the well-established anti-fibrotic effect of pirfenidone, and the role of transforming growth factor-βeta (TGF-β).
Materials & methods: induction of pulmonary fibrosis was done by intra-tracheal injection of bleomycin (2U/Kg, 50 μl) to C57BL/6 mices. Then, at the 10th day; pirfenidone (300mg/kg/d) or rosuvastatin (10mg/kg/d) given orally. After 21 days, all mices were sacrificed. Body weight, lung weight, lung index and lung TGF-β1were measured before and after induction of pulmonary fibrosis. Histopathological examinations of lung sections were done using haematoxylin and eosin. Also, Masson's trichrome stain was used for scoring fibrosis.
Results: Significant decrease in body weight and increase in lung weight, lung index, TGF-β levels were observed in bleomycin group. Also, the histopathological fibrosis score was increased in comparison to control group. Both groups of pirfenidone and rosuvastatin showed significant increase in body weight, and decrease in lung weight, lung index, TGF-β levels. Histopathological fibrosis score was decreased in comparison to bleomycin group.
Conclusions: Rosuvastatin effectively reduced pulmonary fibrosis as pirfenidone. This was done by decreasing TGF-β levels. Thus, the pleiotropic actions of rosuvastatin might be applied clinically for prevention or treatment of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. However, further studies are needed to confirm the beneficial therapeutic effects of rosuvastatin in the therapy of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.