Down-regulation of endogenous hydrogen sulfide pathway in pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vascular structural remodeling induced by high pulmonary blood flow in rats.
BACKGROUND
The mechanisms responsible for the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and pulmonary vascular structural remodeling induced by high pulmonary blood flow are not fully understood. The present study was designed to explore the possible changes in endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a novel gasotransmitter, on the pathogenesis of PH and pulmonary vascular structural remodeling induced by high pulmonary blood flow.


RESULTS
Twenty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a shunting group (n=11) and control group (n=11). Rats in the shunting group underwent an abdominal aorta-inferior cava vein shunting operation. After 11 weeks of shunting, the plasma level of H2S and lung tissue H2S producing rate were much lower than those of the control group (p<0.01). In situ hybridization analysis showed that the expression of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE) mRNA was down-regulated in the pulmonary arteries of the shunting rats compared with the control group (p<0.01), and competitive quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed that the relative amount of CSEmRNA in lung tissue was decreased significantly (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The endogenous H2S pathway is down-regulated in PH and pulmonary vascular structural remodeling is induced by high pulmonary blood flow.
Xiaohui
Li
L
Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, People's Republic of China.
Junbao
Du
D
Lin
Shi
S
Jian
Li
L
Xiuying
Tang
T
Jianguang
Qi
Q
Bing
Wei
W
Hongfang
Jin
J
Chaoshu
Tang
T
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide