title: [Effects of docosahexaenoic acid on hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) and the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  PAH was induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia for 21 days in vivo. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10, each):a normal control group, DHA-treated groups in normoxia and hypoxia, and a PAH group. At the end of study, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricular hypertrophy and the index of wall thickness of small pulmonary artery (WT% and WA%) among groups were compared. The changes of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation were determined by MTT in vitro. Migration assay was performed using the Boyden chamber. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to quantify mRNA levels of the smooth muscle cell phenotype markers SM-α-actin, calponin and SM 22α under normoxic or hypoxic conditions, in the absence or presence of DHA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DHA treatment significantly lowered mPAP [(22.7 ± 1.8) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa)], reduced thickening of small pulmonary artery wall [WT%:(21.6 ± 4.1)%, WA%: (52.0 ± 2.9)% ] and alleviated ventricular hypertrophy (34.2 ± 2.2) % compared to those of the hypoxic group (P < 0.05). DHA inhibited the proliferation, migration and phenotype switching of PASMCs induced by hypoxia in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DHA therapy reduced mPAP in a rat model of hypoxia-induced PAH and this effect was linked with inhibition of pulmonary vascular remodelling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University,Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University,Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Peijing
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University,Zhenjiang 212001, China. Email: yanjinchuan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jinchuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University,Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Yuchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000096985:Calponins
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000096985:Calponins; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat