The Improving Effects of Simvastatin on Erythrocyte Membrane Proteins in Endotoxemic Rats

Abstract

The recent studies in patients with inflammation reported that simvastatin inhibited the vascular hyporeactivity and reduced the risk of the sepsis. Themembrane proteins spectrin, ankyrin, actin, band-3, protein 4.1, and glycophorin have important roles in maintaining the structural and functional of the redblood cells (RBC). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of simvastatin on the membrane proteins of rats treated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Rats were divided into four groups as the control, Endotoxemic (20 mg/kg, i.p. LPS), Simvastatin (20 mg/kg, p.o.), and Simvastatin+Endotoxemic group.Erythrocyte membrane proteins were detected using the SDS-PAGE. In the endotoxemic group, while the levels of proteins band-3, Protein 4.1, ankyrin were todecreased, spectrins, Actin, Glycophorins were extremely lower compared to other groups. In addition, simvastatin administration in endotoxemic animals wasfound to improve the distrupted membrane proteins which may suggest a compensatory defense mechanism supporting the RBC function.