title: Protective effects of drag-reducing polymers in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) are blood-soluble macromolecules which may increase blood flow and reduce vascular resistance. The purpose of the present study was to observe the effect of DRPs on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the rat model.
  
  
  
  A total of 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (pulmonary hypertension model + DRP treatment); Group II (pulmonary hypertension model + saline treatment); Group III (control + DRP treatment); Group IV (control + saline treatment). After five weeks, comparisons were made of the following indices: survival rate, body weight, blood pressure, right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, wall thickness of pulmonary arteries, the internal diameter of small pulmonary arteries, plasma IL-1β and IL-6.
  
  
  
  The survival rate after 5 weeks varied significantly across all groups (P=0.013), but the survival rates of Groups I and II were not statistically significantly different. Administration of DRP (intravenous injection twice weekly) attenuated the PH-induced increase in right ventricular systolic pressure and suppressed the increases in right ventricular (RV) weight and the ratio of right ventricular weight to left ventricle plus septum weight (RV/LV + S). DRP treatment also significantly decreased the wall thickness of pulmonary arteries, augmented the internal diameter of small pulmonary arteries, and suppressed increases in the plasma levels of IL-1β and IL-6.
  
  
  
  DRP treatment with intravenous injection effectively inhibited the development of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in the rat model. DRPs may have potential application for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dechun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Kaizheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhengang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017380:Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016686:Monocrotaline / Q000633:toxicity*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011108:Polymers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D016686:Monocrotaline
keywords: Drag-reducing polymers; monocrotaline; pulmonary hypertension