Effect of simvastatin on mitochondrial enzyme activities, ghrelin, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha in hepatic tissue during early phase of sepsis

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the effects of prior treatment of simvastatin on mitochondrial enzyme, ghrelin, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) on hepatic tissue in rats treated with Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) during the early phase of sepsis. Rats were divided into four groups: control, LPS (20 mg/kg, i.p.), Simvastatin (20 mg/kg, p.o.), and LPS + Simvastatin group. We measured citrate synthase, complex I, II, I-III, II-III enzymes activities, serum and tissue levels of TNF-alpha, IL-10 using ELISA. Liver sections underwent histopathologic examination and TNF-alpha, IL-10, HIF-1 alpha and ghrelin immunoreactivity were examined using immunohistochemistry methods. There were no differences in all groups for mitochondrial enzyme activities. In terms of both ELISA and immunohistochemistry findings; the levels of serum and tissue TNF-alpha and IL-10 were higher in the experimental groups than controls (P < 0.05). In the LPS group, the hepatocyte cell membrane and sinusoid structure were damaged. In the Simvastatin + LPS group, hepatocytes and sinusoidal cord structure were partially improved. For HIF-1 alpha, in all experimental groups immunoreactivity was increased (P < 0.05). In the Simvastatin group, Ghrelin levels were increased in comparison with the other groups (P < 0.01). Ghrelin levels were greatly decreased in LPS (P < 0.05). We observed that the degree of hepatocellular degeneration was partially reduced depending on the dosage and duration of prior simvastatin treatment with LPS, probably due to alterations of Ghrelin and HIF-1 alpha levels.