[The change of mast cells and macrophages in the lung of rat with pulmonary hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the change of mast cells and macrophages in lung tissue of rats with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and the effect of simvastatin on it.


METHODS
Pulmonary hypertension was established as follow, a shunt between abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava was created in rats, 8 days later, the rats were injected with monocrotaline (60 mg/kg). Moreover, a subgroup of rats were given simvastatin 2 mg/ (kg x d). The mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and right ventricular weight were measured, and the ratio of right ventricle/left ventricle plus septum CRV/(LV+S)) was calculated. The LSAB method was used to stain anti-tryptase and ED1 in the lung tissue of the rats.


RESULTS
In comparision with the control group, mPAP and RV/ (LV+S) of PH rats increased significantly (P<0.05). The RV/(LV+S) in simvastatin group was lower than that in PH rats (P<0.05). The amount of mast cells and macrophages in PH rats were more than that in control group (P<0.05). The amount of mast cells in simvastatin intervention group decreased in comparision with the PH group while the macrophages showed no difference in simvastatin group (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Mast cells and macrophages may be involved in the development of PH and/or the lesion caused by PH accelerate the accumulation and activation of mast cell and macrophages. Simvastatin has a preventive effect on rat PH, it inhibits mast cell proliferation may be one of mechanism.
Li
Ping
P
Department of Pediatrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhou
Tong-Fu
TF
Zhang
Tao
T
Dou
Hu
H
Zhao
Liang
L
Su
Jun
J
Zhao
Ying
Y
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D019821:Simvastatin