title: Rosuvastatin ameliorates the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in the transgenic (mRen2)27 rat.
abstract: We have recently reported that transgenic (mRen2)27 rats (Ren2 rats) exhibit pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is, in part, mediated by oxidative stress. Since 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) exhibit beneficial vascular effects independent of cholesterol synthesis, we hypothesized that rosuvastatin (RSV) treatment ameliorates PAH and pulmonary vascular remodeling in Ren2 rats, in part, by reducing oxidative stress. Six-week-old male Ren2 and Sprague-Dawley rats received RSV (10 mg x kg(-1) x day(-)1 ip) or vehicle for 3 wk. After treatment, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured. To evaluate treatment effects on pulmonary arteriole remodeling, morphometric analyses were performed to quantitate medial thickening and cell proliferation, whereas whole lung samples were used to quantitate the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine, superoxide, stable nitric oxide (NO) metabolites [nitrates and nitrites (NO(x))], and expression of NO synthase isoforms. In the Ren2 rat, RVSP is normal at 5 wk of age, PAH develops between 5 and 7 wk of age, and the elevated pressure is maintained with little variation through 13 wk. At 8 wk of age, left ventricular function and blood gases were normal in the Ren2 rat. Ren2 rats exhibited elevations in medial hypertrophy due to smooth muscle cell proliferation, 3-nitrotyrosine, NO(x), NADPH oxidase activity, and endothelial NO synthase expression compared with Sprague-Dawley rats. RSV significantly blunted the increase in RVSP but did not reduce MAP in the Ren2 rat; additionally, RSV significantly attenuated the elevated parameters examined in the Ren2 rat. These data suggest that statins may be a clinically viable adjunct treatment of PAH through reducing peroxynitrite formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. demarcov@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Vincent G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: DeMarco
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.forename: Adam T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Whaley-Connell
authors.forename: Rebecca I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sowers
authors.forename: Bradley T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.forename: Alex A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gutweiler
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Megan S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ferrario
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Dellsperger
mesh_terms: D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017380:Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000187:drug effects; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011743:Pyrimidines; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000808:Angiotensinogen; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; C500593:Cybb protein, rat; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C499134:Rac1 protein, rat; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein