Atorvastatin affects the tissue concentration of hydrogen sulfide in mouse kidneys and other organs

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a crucial co-modulator of cardiovascular, nervous, digestive and excretory systems function. The pleiotropic action of atorvastatin exceeds simple 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibition and involves multiple biological mechanisms. This study assesses the influence of atorvastatin on the H2S tissue concentration in mouse brain, liver, heart and kidney. Twenty-four female CBA strain mice received an intraperitoneal injection. The mice were given one of the following solutions: 0.1 mg atorvastatin (5 mg/kg of body weight (b.w.)/day--group D1, n=8), 0.4 mg atorvastatin (20 mg/kg b.w./day--group D2, n=8) or a saline physiological control (0.2 ml--group C, n=8). A modified Siegel spectrophotometric method was used for the H2S tissue concentration measurements. There was a remarkable rise in the H2S concentration [μg/g] in the kidney (C: 5.26±0.09, D1: 5.77±0.11, p=0.0003; D2: 7.48±0.09, p<0.0001). There were also slight H2S tissue level changes in the brain (C: 1.61±0.01, D1: 1.75±0.03, p=0.0001; D2: 1.78±0.03, p<0.0001), the heart (C: 4.54±0.08, D1: 4.86±0.10, p=0.0027; D2: 4.56±0.07, p=0.6997) and the liver (C: 3.45±0.03, D1: 3.27±0.02, p=0.0001; D2: 3.31±0.02, p=0.0003). Our study supports the influence of atorvastatin on H2S tissue concentration in kidneys and other mouse organs.