[Impacts of atovastatin and tinidazole on cardiac muscle inflammation factors of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 and metalloproteinase-2 of experimental rabbits with atherosclerosis and periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of atovastatin and tinidazole on atherosclerosis and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in periodontitis.

METHODS

A total of 48 male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each): control group (A), atovastatin group (B), tinidazole group (C) and combination group (D, atovastatin + tinidazole). All groups received interventions according to the experiment design. During Week 1-4, mandibular first premolars were used to establish periodontitis model. For Week 1, adaptive feeding was provided with 50% normal diet + 50% high-fat diet. Then a full high fat-diet was used to establish atherosclerosis model. During Week 16-20, experimental drug intervention was administered twice weekly: group A received the same volume of saline, group B atorvastatin tablets 1.5 mg/kg, group C tinidazole tablets 150 mg/kg and group D atorvastatin tablets 1.5 mg/kg + tinidazole tablets 150 mg/kg. At the end of 20-week intervention, the animals were sacrificed to take vascular and heart tissue samples. Immunohistochemistry and fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed for quantitative determinations.

RESULTS

The positive areas of MMP-2 expression in groups B, C and D were smaller than that of group A respectively (35% ± 17%, 69% ± 5%, 30% ± 7% vs 86% ± 9%, all P < 0.05). And the PCR results showed the levels of TNF-α and IL-1 in group D was the lowest of four groups (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Atovastatin and tinidazole can reduce the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and MMP-2 in the rabbits with atherosclerosis and periodontitis respectively. And the combination of both drugs may achieve a better efficacy.