title: [Effects of rutaecarpine on right ventriclar remodeling in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the protective effects of rutaecarpine (Rut) on right ventricular remodeling in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight SD rats were fed adaptively for 1 week and then were randomly divided into the following 4 groups (n = 12): normal control group, monocrotaline (MCT) treatment group, MCT treatment with Rut (20 mg/kg)group and MCT treatment with Rut (40 mg/kg) group. PH rats were induced by a single injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg, sc) and were administered with Rut (20 or 40 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks. At the end of experiment, the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) were monitored via the right jugular vein catheterization into the right ventricle. The ratio of right ventricle (RV) to left ventricle (LV) + septum (S) and the ratio of RV to tibial length were calculated. Right ventricular morphological changes were deserved by HE staining. Masson's trichrome staining was used to display collagen deposition. The total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in right ventricle were determined according to the manufacturer's instructions. mRNA and protein expression levels of NOX4, collagen I and collagen III were analyzed by immunohistochemisty, real-time PCR and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that Rut treatment for 4 weeks attenuated RVSP, mPAP and right ventricular remodeling index (RV/LV + S and RV/Tibial length) of PH rats induced by monocrotaline. Furthermore, the right ventricular collagen deposition and collagen I and collagen I expression induced by MCT were both significantly suppressed by Rut. The expression levels of NOX4 and MDA were obviously decreased, while the T-AOC was significantly increased in right ventricular from PH rats treated with Rut.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that Rut ameliorates the right ventricular remodeling in rats with PH induced by MCT through down-regulating of NOX4 expression and collagen accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jie-Ren
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D026121:Indole Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D016686:Monocrotaline / Q000009:adverse effects; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*; D052999:Quinazolinones
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D016686:Monocrotaline; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D011799:Quinazolines; C028632:rutecarpine; D052999:Quinazolinones; C498911:Nox4 protein, rat