Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2012 Mar-Apr;26(2):e81-4. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2012.26.3719.
Despite the importance of olfactory function, no effective medications have been identified to treat olfactory disorders. This study was performed to evaluate the functional recovery of olfaction damaged by 3-methylindole (3MI) in a mouse model with hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins).
In a randomized placebo-controlled trial, 24 healthy female BALB/c mice (aged 9-10 weeks and weighing 18-20 g each) were randomly allocated to statin-treated or control groups. Olfactory loss was induced by i.p. injections of 3MI. Atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) or normal saline was then administered per os with a gastric tube for 3 weeks. The effects of treatment were evaluated by food-finding tests and Western blot analysis.
Both groups showed complete losses of olfactory function 1 week after 3MI injection. Three weeks after 3MI injection, 9 of the 12 mice in the statin-treated group (75%) passed a food-finding test, in which they were able to find the food within 3 minutes, at least two times out of three trials. However, only two mice in the control group (16.6%) passed the food-finding test, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.004; chi-square test). The expression level of the olfactory marker protein was also elevated in the statin-treated group (p = 0.030; Wilcoxon rank sum test).
Statins are associated with recovery of olfaction after 3MI injection in a mouse model.
尽管嗅觉功能很重要，但目前还没有发现有效的药物来治疗嗅觉障碍。本研究旨在评估羟甲基戊二酰辅酶 A 还原酶抑制剂（他汀类药物）对 3-甲基吲哚（3MI）损伤的嗅觉功能的恢复作用。
在一项随机安慰剂对照试验中，将 24 只健康雌性 BALB/c 小鼠（9-10 周龄，体重 18-20g）随机分为他汀类药物治疗组或对照组。通过腹腔注射 3MI 诱导嗅觉丧失。然后，用胃管经口给予阿托伐他汀（10mg/kg）或生理盐水，连续 3 周。通过食物寻找试验和 Western blot 分析评估治疗效果。
两组在 3MI 注射后 1 周均出现完全的嗅觉丧失。3MI 注射 3 周后，他汀类药物治疗组 12 只小鼠中有 9 只（75%）通过了食物寻找试验，它们能够在 3 分钟内至少两次找到食物。然而，对照组只有 2 只小鼠（16.6%）通过了食物寻找试验，差异具有统计学意义（p=0.004；卡方检验）。他汀类药物治疗组嗅觉标记蛋白的表达水平也升高（p=0.030；Wilcoxon 秩和检验）。
他汀类药物与 3MI 注射后小鼠嗅觉恢复有关。
