title: Comparison of two experimental models of pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare two models of pulmonary hypertension (monocrotaline and monocrotaline+pneumonectomy) regarding hemodynamic severity, structure of pulmonary arteries, inflammatory markers (IL-1 and PDGF), and 45-day survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 80 Sprague-Dawley rats in two study protocols: structural analysis; and survival analysis. The rats were divided into four groups: control; monocrotaline (M), pneumonectomy (P), and monocrotaline+pneumonectomy (M+P). In the structural analysis protocol, 40 rats (10/group) were catheterized for the determination of hemodynamic variables, followed by euthanasia for the removal of heart and lung tissue. The right ventricle (RV) was dissected from the interventricular septum (IS), and the ratio between RV weight and the weight of the left ventricle (LV) plus IS (RV/LV+IS) was taken as the index of RV hypertrophy. In lung tissues, we performed histological analyses, as well as using ELISA to determine IL-1 and PDGF levels. In the survival protocol, 40 animals (10/group) were followed for 45 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The M and M+P rats developed pulmonary hypertension, whereas the control and P rats did not. The RV/LV+IS ratio was significantly higher in M+P rats than in M rats, as well as being significantly higher in M and M+P rats than in control and P rats. There were no significant differences between the M and M+P rats regarding the area of the medial layer of the pulmonary arteries; IL-1 and PDGF levels; or survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of our results, we cannot conclude that the monocrotaline+pneumonectomy model is superior to the monocrotaline model.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. igbpolonio@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Igor Bastos
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Polonio
authors.forename: Milena Marques Pagliarelli
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Acencio
authors.forename: Rogério
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pazetti
authors.forename: Francine Maria de
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canzian
authors.forename: Bárbara Soares da
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Karina Aparecida Bonifácio
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Rogério de
authors.initials: Rd
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007375:Interleukin-1; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor