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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Viral Transgene Expression in Rodent Hearts and the Assessment of Cardiac Arrhythmia Risk
Published on: July 27, 2022
[Inhibitory effect of fluvastatin on lysophosphatidylcholine-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rats]
Li-Bing Li1, Hong-Ye Wang, Lan Ma
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China. llb03@ tom.com
Objective:
To investigate the effect of fluvastatin on lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-induced ventricular arrhythmias and its mechanism.
Methods:
Twenty male SD rats were randomly allocated into two equal groups, namely LPC treatment group and fluvastatin pretreatment group. Langendorff apparatus was used for cardiac perfusion ex vivo with 5 µmol/L LPC for 5 min followed by washing for 30 min in LPC treatment group, and in fluvastatin pretreatment group, a 30-min perfusion with 10 µmol/L fluvastatin was administered before LPC perfusion. The LPC-induced nonselective cation current (I(NSC)) in the ventricular myocytes was recorded using the whole-cell voltage-clamp method.
Results:
Fluvastatin significantly inhibited LPC-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia/fibrillation and I(NSC). The small G-protein Rho inhibitor (C3) and Rho-kinase inhibitor (Y-27632) in the pipette solution also suppressed LPC-induced I(NSC).
Conclusion:
Fluvastatin offers cardiac protection against LPC by inhibiting LPC-induced I(NSC). LPC induces fatal arrhythmia via a Rho/Rho-kinase-mediated pathway.
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