Male OLETF rats were divided into 2 groups at 6 weeks of age. The first group received a standard diet until the end of experimental period at age 28 weeks. The second group was given a diet containing 0.05% atorvastatin from 6 weeks of age, before the onset of IR and pancreatic fibrosis. The age-matched Long–Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats without presence of IR, T2DM and pancreatic fibrosis, received a standard diet and were used as a normal control.
Atorvastatin slightly decreased serum fasting glucose and insulin levels, but significantly improved index of IR compared with the untreated OLETF rats. In addition, atorvastatin markedly decreased transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA expression, myeloperoxidase activity and proportion of fibrotic area, and elevated superoxide dismutase activity in the pancreas compared with the untreated OLETF rats.
These findings suggest that atorvastatin exerts favorable influence on progression of IR and pancreatic inflammation and fibrosis via pleiotropic effect such as anti-oxidative property.