Modulation of the LKB1-AMPK Signalling Pathway Underpins Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction and Pulmonary Hypertension

Author(s):  
A. Mark Evans ◽  
Sophronia A. Lewis ◽  
Oluseye A. Ogunbayo ◽  
Javier Moral-Sanz
2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik R. Swenson

Hypoxic vasoconstriction in the lung is a unique and fundamental characteristic of the pulmonary circulation. It functions in health and disease states to better preserve ventilation-perfusion matching by diverting blood flow to better ventilated regions when local ventilation is compromised. As more areas of lung become hypoxic either with high altitude or global lung disease, then hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) becomes less effective in ventilation-perfusion matching and can lead to pulmonary hypertension. HPV is intrinsic to the vascular smooth muscle and its mechanisms remain poorly understood. In addition, the pulmonary vascular endothelium, red cells, lung innervation, and numerous circulating vasoactive agents also affect the strength of HPV. This review will discuss the pathophysiology of HPV and address its role in pulmonary hypertension associated with World Health Organization Group 3 diseases. When sustained beyond many hours, HPV may initiate pulmonary vascular remodeling and lead to more fixed and less oxygen-responsive pulmonary hypertension if the hypoxic stimulus is maintained.


CHEST Journal ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 551-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Morgan ◽  
Mark Griffiths ◽  
Ron M. du Bois ◽  
Timothy W. Evans

1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 431 ◽  
Author(s):  
V DeMarco ◽  
JW Skimming ◽  
TM Ellis ◽  
S Cassin

Others have shown that inhaled nitric oxide causes reversal of pulmonary hypertension in anaesthetized perinatal sheep. The present study examined haemodynamic responses to inhaled NO in the normal and constricted pulmonary circulation of unanaesthetized newborn lambs. Three experiments were conducted on each of 7 lambs. First, to determine a minimum concentration of NO which could reverse acute pulmonary hypertension caused by infusion of the thromboxame mimic U46619, the haemodynamic effects of 5 different doses of inhaled NO were examined. Second, the effects of inhaling 80 ppm NO during hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction were examined. Finally, to determine if tachyphalaxis occurs during NO inhalation, lambs were exposed to 80 ppm NO for 3 h during which time pulmonary arterial pressure was doubled by infusion of U46619. Breathing NO (80 ppm) caused a slight but significant decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in lambs with normal pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). Nitric oxide, inhaled at concentrations between 10 and 80 ppm for 6 min (F1O2 = 0.60), caused decreases in PVR when PAP was elevated with U46619. Nitric oxide acted selectively on the pulmonary circulation, i.e. no changes occurred in systemic arterial pressure or any other measured variable. Breathing 80 ppm NO for 6 min reversed hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. In the chronic exposure study, inhaling 80 ppm NO for 3 h completely reversed U46619-induced pulmonary hypertension. Although arterial methaemoglobin increased during the 3-h exposure to 80 ppm NO, there was no indication that this concentration of NO impairs oxygen loading. These data demonstrate that NO, at concentrations as low as 10 ppm, is a potent, rapid-action, and selective pulmonary vasodilator in unanaesthetized newborn lambs with elevated pulmonary tone. Furthermore, these data support the use of inhaled NO for treatment of infants with pulmonary hypertension.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin R Fraidenburg ◽  
Haiyang Tang ◽  
Abigail Drennan ◽  
Jason X Yuan

Background: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is an endogenous hormone that is known to relax vascular smooth muscle and has established anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory effects in the pulmonary circulation making it an attractive therapeutic target in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In the current study, a polymer-based nanocarrier (protected graft copolymer - PGC) formulation of VIP, which has been shown to increase the potency and duration of action of VIP, is used to show both acute vasodilatory effects and chronic therapeutic effects in experimental animal models of pulmonary hypertension. Methods: The isolated perfused mouse lung preparation is utilized to test acute hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) in mice. Two animal models of pulmonary hypertension are used in preventative experiments, chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in mice and monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. Right ventricular systolic pressure and Fulton’s index (weight ratio of RV/[LV+Septum]) are used for measures of pulmonary hemodynamics and RV hypertrophy respectively. Results: PGC-VIP decreased resting pulmonary artery pressure and attenuated acute HPV elicited by 1% inhaled oxygen tension in a dose dependent manner from 0.1 μM to 1.0 μM. After four weeks of chronic hypoxia, both RVSP measurements and Fulton’s index were significantly decreased in mice receiving 100 mg/kg intraperitoneal PGC-VIP every other day compared to vehicle control. Higher doses were associated with mortality in the treatment group. MCT-PH rats receiving subcutaneous PGC-VIP at a dose of 250 mg/kg failed to show improvement in RVSP or Fulton’s index compared to vehicle control. Conclusion: This novel formulation of VIP demonstrates both acute and chronic vasodilatory effects in the pulmonary circulation. Treatment with PGC-VIP can attenuate the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, yet significant mortality is seen at higher doses. Subcutaneous injection failed to attenuate the development of experimental PH in rats, possibly due to an ineffective dose or route of administration. Further studies are underway to identify the ideal dosing strategy necessary to attenuate and potentially reverse experimental PH in animal models.


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