Abstract:Aim To investigate the effects and mechanism of rosuvastatin on TGF-β1-induced proliferation and collagen synthesis in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. Methods Cardiac fibroblasts of neonatal SD rats were isolated and cultured, effect of rosuvastatin on fibroblast proliferation was detected by CCK-8, collagen synthesis was measured with real time-PCR, collagen secretion was checked by ELISA, Akt protein expression was tested by Western blot. Results Rosuvastatin dose-dependently inhibited TGF-β1-induced cardiac fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis and collagen secretion, and rosuvastatin could also inhibit Akt activity. Conclusions Rosuvastatin may inhibit TGF-β1-induced cardiac fibrosis through inhibiting cardiac fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis and collagen secretion. Its molecular basis may be associated with inhibiting Akt signaling pathway.