XXII. BIOCHEMICKÝ ZJAZD - Jesseniova lekárska fakulta

Posters
55.
EffECT OF ATOrvaSTATIN ON BIOENERGETICS OF THE LIVER
MITOCHONDRIA ON a HIGH-LIPID DIET
Oľga Uličná 1 , Oľga Vančová 1 , Jarmila Kucharská 1 , Peter Božek 2 ,
Iveta Waczulíková 3 and Libuša Šikurová 3
1
Pharmacobiochemical laboratory 3rd Dept of Int Medicine Med Fac UK Bratislava,
2
Dept of Clin Biochem and Hematol St Michal Hospital Bratislava, 3 Dept of Nuclear
Physic and Biophysic Math Phys Inf Fac UK Bratislava
Statins impair hepatocellular cholesterol production by inhibiting the synthesis of mevalonate.
Mevalonate is a precursor not only of cholesterol but also of ubiquinone, which
is an important carrier of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the oxidative phosphorylation in liver mitochondria
in rats on a high-lipid diet. We investigated the toxicity of atorvastatin on the liver
mitochondria. Male Wistar rats (b.w. 210-270g) were divided into four groups: 1. control
group on the Larsen´s diet, 2. hypercholesterolemic (HCh) on a high-lipid diet (Larsen´s
diet containing 4% of cholesterol and 10% of a saturated fat) 3. and 4. HCh treated with
atorvastatin at the dose of 10 and 80 mg.kg -1 , respectively. After 8 weeks, total cholesterol
(tChol) and triacylglycerols (TAG) were determined in the plasma and liver tissues.
Liver mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation. Parameters of oxidative
phosphorylation were measured on an oxygraph Gilson 5/6H. We found an increased
content of TAG and tChol in the plasma and liver tissues of HCh group. Atorvastatin at the
high dose lowered tChol and TAG in the plasma and liver tissues. Parameters of oxidative
phosphorylation were significantly impaired in the liver mitochondria of HCh rats. The
high dose of atorvastatin worsened bioenergetics of the liver mitochondria of HCh rats,
but the low dose had no effect. Our results suggest that administration of low doses of
atorvastatin does not exert a negative effect on liver under the high-fat dietary conditions.
Acknowledgements: Supported by the grants VEGA 1/0328/10 and 1/0293/08.
XXII. Biochemistry Congress, Martin
175