Atorvastatin mitigates memory deficits and brain monocyte infiltration in chronic hypercholesterolemia

Abstract

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common symptom observed in people over 60 years old and is found to be aggravated by hypercholesterolemia. Severe neuroinflammation induced by BBB dysfunction and monocyte infiltration might be responsible for neuron damage and cognitive impairment. Atorvastatin is a lipid-lowering drug that is widely applied for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, the potential function of Atorvastatin in hypercholesterolemia-induced MCI remains uncertain. Our research will explore the potential therapeutic function of Atorvastatin in memory deficits induced by chronic hypercholesterolemia. ApoE^-/- mice were utilized to mimic the state of chronic hypercholesterolemia and were divided into four groups. Animals in the WT and ApoE^-/-groups were orally administered with normal saline, while WT mice in the Atorvastatin group and ApoE^-/- mice in the ApoE^-/-+ Atorvastatin group were orally administered with 10 mg/kg/day Atorvastatin. Markedly increased plasma cholesterol levels reduced RI in the long-term memory test and the spatial short-term memory test, declined mobility in the open field test, and downregulated PSD-95 and BDNF were observed in ApoE^-/- mice, all of which were signally reversed by Atorvastatin. Moreover, the percentages of brain Ly6C^hi CD45⁺ cells and CD3⁺ CD45⁺ cells, as well as the blood Ly6C^hi CD45⁺ cells, plasma IL-12/IL-23 levels and IL-17 level were found notably increased in ApoE^-/- mice, all of which were largely repressed by Atorvastatin. Lastly, the increased BBB permeability, decreased ZO-1 and occludin levels, and reduced KLF2 level were markedly abolished by Atorvastatin. Collectively, Atorvastatin mitigated memory deficits and brain monocyte infiltration in ApoE^-/- mice.