title: Effect of fasudil on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether right ventricular hypertrophy in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) rats could be prevented by treatment with Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rat model of pulmonary hypertension was established by exposing rats to normobaric intermitent hypoxia [(10 ± 0.5)% O2]. Twenty-four Spraque-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into control group, hypoxic model group and hypoxia with fasudil groups (n=8 each). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), and right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured. Ultrastructure of the right ventricular myocardial cells was observed under transmission electron microscope (TEM). -
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of mPAP (31.38 ± 1.98) mmHg and RVHI (0.47 ± 0.03) were significantly higher in the hypoxic model group than (15.25 ± 0.91) mmHg and (0.25 ± 0.02) in control group respectively (P<0.01). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed the model group right ventricular mitochondria increased significantly, swelling, cristae blurred, lost, heart muscle Siming dark band was not clear. The level of mPAP (16.63 ± 1.53) mmHg and RVHI (0.27 ± 0.02) were significantly lower in fasudil treatment group than in model group respectively (P<0.01). After the intervention of fasudil right ventricular myocardial injury was significantly reduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fasudil may partly prevent and reverse the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial cell injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Huai'an 223300, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Zhen
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Huai'an 223300, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Huai'an 223300, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Huai'an 223300, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Quan
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology*; D017380:Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / Q000473:pathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; C049347:fasudil
keywords: Fasudil; pulmonary hypertension; rat; right ventricular hypertrophy