Abstract: AIM: To study the changes in myocardial cells and myocardial interstitial substances in ApoE-deficienct [ApoE(-/-) ] mice feeding with cholesterol food, and approach the primary prevention effects with atorvastatin on ApoE-deficienct ApoE(-/-) mice. METHODS: Sixteen male ApoE-deficienct mice of eight weeks feeding with high cholesterol food were randomly divided into two groups:model group (n=8 ), atorvastatin early intervention group (10 mg·kg^-1 ·d^-1) (n=8), nomal C57BL 6J mice of the same ages were set as the control group, feeding with high cholesterol animal food for 24 weeks and then were executed.The serum cholesterol/Level was detected with common practice method, the contents TC, NO, SOD infresh heart tissue were determined.Other portions of heart tissue were fixted, paraffin section, the changes of mice morphology and myocardial collagen in all groups were observed by HE and Masson dyeing, respectively.RESULTS: Compared with model group, the levels of ApoE-deficienct (ApoE-/-) mice blood plasma, heart tissue cholesterol, malondialdehyde significantly decreased, and the levels of NO, SOD significantly increased (P<0.05), themyocardial cells diameter and the content of myocardial collagen in ApoEdeficienct (ApoE-/-) mice significantly decreased in atorvastatin early intervention group (P<0.05 ).CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin could decrease the level of cholesterol, enhance the antioxygen ability, decrease the content of myocardial collagen, lessen cardiac remodeling to the early intervention (ApoE-/-) mice with cholesterol feed.

Key words: apolipoprotein E, gene deficient mice, myocardium, collagen, cholesterol