Atorvastatin Attenuates Radiotherapy-Induced Intestinal Damage through Activation of Autophagy and Antioxidant Effects

Abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy (RT) often results in small intestinal injury, such as apoptosis of epithelial cells and shortening of the villi. Atorvastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, has many biological effects including cholesterol reduction, protection from cell damage, and autophagy activation. To reduce the extent of radiotherapy- (RT-) induced enteritis, we investigated the protective effects of atorvastatin against RT-induced damage of the intestinal tract. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were randomly distributed into the following groups ( n = 8 per group): (1) control group: mice were fed water only, (2) atorvastatin group (Ator): mice were administered atorvastatin, (3) irradiation group (IR): mice received abdominal RT, (4) Ator+IR group: mice received abdominal RT following atorvastatin administration, and (5) Ator+IR+3-MA group: abdominal RT following atorvastatin and 3-methyladenine (an autophagy inhibitor) administration. Based on the assessment of modified Chiu’s injury score and villus/crypt ratio, we found that atorvastatin administration significantly reduced intestinal mucosal damage induced by RT. Atorvastatin treatment reduced apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), DNA damage (γH2AX and 53BP1), oxidative stress (OS, 4-hydroxynonenal), inflammatory molecules (phospho-NF-κB p65 and TGF-β), fibrosis (collagen I and collagen III), barrier leakage (claudin-2 and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran), disintegrity (fatty acid-binding protein 2), and dysfunction (lipopolysaccharide) caused by RT in small intestinal tissue. In addition, atorvastatin upregulated the expression of autophagy-active molecules (LC3B), antioxidants (heme oxygenase 1 and thioredoxin 1), and tight junction proteins (occludin and zonula occludens 1). However, the biological functions of atorvastatin in decreasing RT-induced enteritis were reversed after the administration of 3-MA; the function of antioxidant molecules and activity of thioredoxin reductase were independent of autophagy activation. Our results indicate that atorvastatin can effectively relieve RT-induced enteritis through autophagy activation and associated biological functions, including maintaining integrity and function and decreasing apoptosis, DNA damage, inflammation, OS, and fibrosis. It also acts via its antioxidative capabilities.