Perk heterozygosity ameliorates chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in male rats

Author(s):  
Qingxia Wei ◽  
Hanlu Li ◽  
Yibing Chen ◽  
Xiang Xu ◽  
Ge Guo ◽  
...  
Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Hannemann ◽  
Antonia Glatzel ◽  
Jonas Hillig ◽  
Julia Zummack ◽  
Rainer H Boeger

Introduction: Chronic hypoxia causes persistent pulmonary vasoconstriction and leads to pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthesis; its level increases in hypoxia concomitantly with reduced activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAH-1 and DDAH-2), the enzymes metabolizing ADMA. DDAH knockout models may therefore help to understand the pathophysiological roles of this enzyme and its substrate, ADMA, in the development of hypoxia-associated pulmonary hypertension. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that DDAH1 knock-out mice have an attenuated hypoxia-induced elevation of ADMA and reduced right ventricular hypertrophy. Methods: DDAH1 knock-out mice (KO) and their wild-type littermates (WT) were subjected to normoxia (NX) or hypoxia (HX) during 21 days. We measured ADMA concentration in plasma, DDAH1 and DDAH2 expression in the lung, right ventricular hypertrophy by the Fulton index, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by dystrophin staining of heart tissues, and muscularization of pulmonary arterioles by CD31 and α-actin staining of lung sections. Results: DDAH1 KO mice had higher ADMA concentration than WT under NX (2.31±0.33 μmol/l vs. 1.20±0.17 μmol/l; p < 0.05). ADMA significantly increased in WT-HX (to 1.74±0.86 μmol/l; p < 0.05 vs. normoxia), whilst it did not further increase in KO-HX (2.58±0.58 μmol/l; p = n.s.). This was paralleled by a 38±13% reduction in DDAH1 mRNA but not DDAH2 mRNA expression, and reduced DDAH protein expression. We observed right ventricular hypertrophy under hypoxia in both, WT and KO mice, with no significant differences between both genotypes. Further, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and pulmonary arteriolar muscularization were significantly increased by hypoxia, but not significantly different between WT and KO mice. Conclusions: We conclude that chronic hypoxia causes an elevation of ADMA, which impairs NO production and leads to endothelial dysfunction and vasoconstriction. Downregulation of DDAH expression and activity may be involved in this; however, knockout of DDAH1 does not modify the pathophysiological changes in remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature and the right ventricle.


Endocrinology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl O. Schwenke ◽  
Takeshi Tokudome ◽  
Mikiyasu Shirai ◽  
Hiroshi Hosoda ◽  
Takeshi Horio ◽  
...  

Chronic exposure to hypoxia, a common adverse consequence of most pulmonary disorders, can lead to a sustained increase in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), right ventricular hypertrophy, and is, therefore, closely associated with heart failure and increased mortality. Ghrelin, originally identified as an endogenous GH secretagogue, has recently been shown to possess potent vasodilator properties, likely involving modulation of the vascular endothelium and its associated vasoactive peptides. In this study we hypothesized that ghrelin would impede the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension during chronic hypoxia (CH). PAP was continuously measured using radiotelemetry, in conscious male Sprague Dawley rats, in normoxia and during 2-wk CH (10% O2). During this hypoxic period, rats received a daily sc injection of either saline or ghrelin (150 μg/kg). Subsequently, heart and lung samples were collected for morphological, histological, and molecular analyses. CH significantly elevated PAP in saline-treated rats, increased wall thickness of peripheral pulmonary arteries, and, consequently, induced right ventricular hypertrophy. In these rats, CH also led to the overexpression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA and protein, as well as endothelin-1 mRNA within the lung. Exogenous ghrelin administration attenuated the CH-induced overexpression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA and protein, as well as endothelin-1 mRNA. Consequently, ghrelin significantly attenuated the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right ventricular hypertrophy. These results demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of ghrelin for impeding the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy, particularly in subjects prone to CH (e.g. pulmonary disorders).


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (2) ◽  
pp. L225-L232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norihisa Hanasato ◽  
Masahiko Oka ◽  
Masashi Muramatsu ◽  
Mayu Nishino ◽  
Hideyuki Adachi ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine whether E-4010, a newly synthesized potent and selective orally active phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor, would prevent the development of chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. In conscious, pulmonary hypertensive rats, a single oral administration of E-4010 (1.0 mg/kg) caused an acute, long-lasting reduction in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), with no significant effects on systemic arterial pressure, cardiac output, and heart rate. In rats that received food containing 0.01 or 0.1% E-4010 during the 3-wk exposure to hypoxia, mean PAP was significantly decreased (mean PAP 24.0 ± 0.9, 16.2 ± 0.8, and 12.8 ± 0.5 mmHg in rats treated with 0, 0.01, and 0.1% E-4010-containing food, respectively), whereas mean systemic arterial pressure was unchanged and cardiac output was slightly increased compared with chronically hypoxic control rats. Right ventricular hypertrophy, medial wall thickness in pulmonary arteries corresponding to the respiratory and terminal bronchioles, and the degree of muscularization of more distal arteries were less severe in E-4010-treated rats. Long-term treatment with E-4010 caused an increase in cGMP levels in lung tissue and plasma but not in aortic tissue and no significant change in cAMP levels in either lung, aorta, or plasma. These results suggest that long-term oral treatment with E-4010 reduced the increase in PAP, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary arterial remodeling induced by exposure to chronic hypoxia, probably through increasing cGMP levels in the pulmonary vascular smooth muscle.


2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (2) ◽  
pp. R421-R427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine Lumbroso ◽  
Vincent Joseph

We tested the hypothesis that neonatal exposure to hypoxia alters acclimatization to chronic hypoxia later in life. Rat pups were exposed to normobaric hypoxia (12% O2; nHx group) in a sealed chamber, or to normoxia (21% O2; nNx group) from the day before birth to postnatal day 10. The animals were then raised in normal conditions until reaching 12 wk of age. At this age, we assessed ventilatory and hematological acclimatization to chronic hypoxia by exposing male and female nHx and nNx rats for 2 wk to 10% O2. Minute ventilation, metabolic rate, hypoxic ventilatory response, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels were measured both before and after acclimatization. We also quantified right ventricular hypertrophy as an index of pulmonary hypertension both before and after acclimatization. There was a significant effect of neonatal hypoxia that decreases ventilatory response (relative to metabolic rate, V̇e/V̇co2) to acute hypoxia before acclimatization in males but not in females. nHx rats had an impaired acclimatization to chronic hypoxia characterized by altered respiratory pattern and elevated hematocrit and hemoglobin levels after acclimatization, in both males and females. Right ventricular hypertrophy was present before and after acclimatization in nHx rats, indicating that neonatal hypoxia results in pulmonary hypertension in adults. We conclude that neonatal hypoxia impairs acclimatization to chronic hypoxia in adults and may be a factor contributing to the establishment of chronic mountain sickness in humans living at high altitude.


1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 3020-3026 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. C. Ou ◽  
G. L. Sardella ◽  
N. S. Hill ◽  
C. D. Thron

Chronic hypoxia increases the total blood volume (TBV) and pulmonary arterial blood pressure (Ppa) and induces pulmonary vascular remodeling. The present study was undertaken to assess how the pulmonary blood volume (PBV) changes during hypoxia and the possible role of PBV in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. A novel method has been developed to measure the TBV, PBV, and Ppa in conscious rats. The method consists of chronic implantation of a loose ligature around the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery, so that when the ligature is drawn tightly, it traps the blood in the pulmonary vessels and left heart and simultaneously kills the rat. The pulmonary veins are then ligated to separate the left ventricular blood volume from the PBV. This surgical approach, together with chronic catheterization of the pulmonary artery and the use of 51Cr-labeled red blood cells, allows measurement of TBV, PBV, and Ppa. This method has been used to analyze the relationships between TBV and PBV and between Ppa or right ventricular hypertrophy and PBV in two rat strains with markedly different TBV and Ppa responses to chronic hypoxia. PBV per given lung weight did not increase and even decreased during hypoxia despite marked increases in TBV. There was a close correlation between Ppa or right ventricular hypertrophy and PBV in the two strains of chronically hypoxic animals, suggesting that a greater PBV plays a significant role in the development of severe chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in the altitude-susceptible Hilltop rats.


2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Britta F Beasley ◽  
Laura V Gonzalez Bosc ◽  
Thomas C Resta ◽  
Benjimen R Walker ◽  
Nikki L Jernigan

1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (5) ◽  
pp. L690-L697 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. DiCarlo ◽  
S. J. Chen ◽  
Q. C. Meng ◽  
J. Durand ◽  
M. Yano ◽  
...  

The selective endothelin-A (ETA)-receptor antagonist BQ-123 has been shown to prevent chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in the rat. Therefore in the current study we utilized BQ-123 to test the hypothesis that blockade of the ETA receptor can reverse as well as prevent the increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricle-to-left ventricle plus septum ratio, and percent wall thickness in small (50-100 microns) pulmonary arteries observed in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to normobaric hypoxia (10% O2, 2 wk). Infusion of BQ-123 (0.4 mg.0.5 microliter-1.h-1 for 2 wk in 10% O2) begun after 2 wk of hypoxia significantly reversed the established pulmonary hypertension and prevented further progression of right ventricular hypertrophy during the third and fourth week of hypoxia. BQ-123 infusion instituted before exposure to hypoxia completely prevented the hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling. These findings suggest that, in the lung, hypoxia induced an increase synthesis of endothelin-1, which acts locally on ETA receptors to cause pulmonary hypertension, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling, while ETA-receptor blockade can both prevent and reverse these processes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Chowdhury ◽  
V Z Luu ◽  
A Z Luu ◽  
M G Kabir ◽  
Y Pan ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, enhances urinary glucose excretion and profoundly reduces hospitalisation for heart failure and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes. While empagliflozin has been reported to reduce blood pressure, its effect on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. PAH is a serious and progressive disease that is characterised by pulmonary artery vasoconstriction, vascular remodelling, right ventricular hypertrophy, and ultimately heart failure. Purpose To investigate the impact of empagliflozin on PAH-associated mortality and the progression as well as reversal of PAH in monocrotaline (MCT)-treated Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods A total of 66 male rats (220–250 g) were randomly assigned to one of three studies. PAH was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of MCT on day 0 and empagliflozin (10 mg/kg) was administered daily by oral gavage. Survival study: PAH was induced with 60 mg/kg MCT. Starting on day 1, rats were treated with empagliflozin (n=8) or vehicle (n=8) for 28 days and monitored for up to 45 days post-MCT injection. Prevention study: Rats were administered 60 mg/kg MCT and treated with empagliflozin (n=12) or vehicle (n=12) for 20 days from day 1 onwards. Reversal study: 21 days after being injected with 40 mg/kg MCT, rats were given empagliflozin (n=8) or vehicle (n=8) for 14 days. At the end of the treatment window, rats in the latter two studies underwent haemodynamic assessments before their tissues were harvested for histological review. Results Mortality rates between the two groups were significantly different (median survival 24 vs 33 days for vehicle vs empagliflozin; p<0.05). Compared to the MCT-vehicle-treated rats, the MCT-empagliflozin group had significantly lower mean pulmonary artery pressure (77.4±8.6 vs 51.0±4.9 mmHg [Prevention study]; 56.0±4.3 vs 43.0±3.4 mmHg [Reversal study]); higher pulmonary acceleration time (21.0±0.8 vs 27.4±1.4 ms [Prevention study] and 27.1±1.0 vs 33.4±1.3 ms [Reversal study]); and less right ventricular hypertrophy (0.52±0.01 vs 0.41±0.04 [Prevention study]). Histological assessments revealed significantly less medial wall thickening (50.8±2.2 vs 44.7±1.1 mm) and muscularisation (53.2±1.3 vs 43.6±2.1 mm) in pulmonary arterioles from the empagliflozin- vs vehicle-treated rats (p<0.001 for both). Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating that SGLT2 inhibition with empagliflozin lowers mortality in experimental pulmonary hypertension in part via reduced pulmonary vascular remodelling. Acknowledgement/Funding This study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.


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