Atorvastatin induced hepatic oxidative stress and apoptotic damage via MAPKs, mitochondria, calpain and caspase12 dependent pathways.

Atorvastatin (ATO), a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor, is used widely for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Application of this drug has now been made somehow limited because of ATO associated several acute and chronic side effects. The present study has been carried out to investigate the dose-dependent hepatic tissue toxicity in ATO induced oxidative impairment and cell death in mice. Administration of ATO enhanced ALT, ALP level, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and altered the pro oxidant-antioxidant status of liver by reducing intracellular GSH level, anti-oxidant enzymes activities and increasing intracellular lipid peroxidation. Our experimental evidence suggests that ATO markedly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, disturbed the Bcl-2 family protein balance, enhanced cytochrome c release in the cytosol, increased the levels of Apaf1, caspase-9, -3, cleaved PARP protein and ultimately led to apoptotic cell death. Besides, ATO distinctly increased the phosphorylation of p38, JNK, and ERK MAPKs, enhanced Caspase12 and calpain level. Histological studies also support the dose-dependent toxic effect of ATO in these organs pathophysiology. These results reveal that ATO induces hepatic tissue toxicity via MAPKs, mitochondria and ER dependent signaling pathway, in which calcium ions and ROS act as the pivotal mediators of the apoptotic signaling.