Therapeutic effect of prostaglandin E1 in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension rats / 대한해부학회지

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe pulmonary vascular disease characterized by sustained increase in pulmonary arterial pressure and excessive thickening and remodeling of distal small pulmonary arteries. During disease progression, PAH include increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular (RV) enlargement, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, and smooth muscle hypertrophy in pulmonary arterioles. Several anti-PAH therapies targeting various pathways involved in PAH progression have been approved by the Food and Drug Adminstration. However, many of the currently available anti-PAH drugs suffer from a number of limitations, including short biological half-life, and poor pulmonary selectivity. Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is a potent vasodilator with selectivity toward pulmonary circulation when it is administered via the pulmonary route. However, PGE1 has a very short half-life of 5–10 minutes. Therefore, we hypothesized that long-term effect of PGE1 could reduce mal-adaptive structural remodeling of the lung and heart and prevent ventricular arrhythmias in monocrotaline-induced rat model of PAH. Our results revealed that PGE1 reduced ventricular hypertrophy, protein expressions of endothelin-1 and endothelin receptor A, and the expression of fibrosis. These results support the notion that PGE1 can improve the functional properties of RV, highlighting its potential benefits for heart and lung impairment.

Voltage sensitive optical mapping used to observe effects of late Na and rapidly activating delayed rectifier K currents on the right and left ventricular electrophysiological heterogeneity / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT:Objective To observe the effects of late Na current (INa‐L ) and rapidly activating delayed rectifier K current (IKr ) on ventricular heterogeneity and frequency dependency by using high resolution voltage sensitive optical mapping technology .Methods The model of 12 isolated hearts was constructed in rabbits . Voltage sensitive dye Di‐4‐ANEPPS were perfused into the isolated hearts by Langendorff method .LED source with the wave length of 532 nm was used to record APD80 and APD50 of the left and right ventricles .Experimental groups were divided into 3 groups by perfusion drugs dofetillide (30 nmol/L) ,dofetillide+ATX‐Ⅱ(1 nmol/L) ,and dofetillide +ATX‐Ⅱ +mexiletine (10μmol/L) .The subjects were intervened by the above drugs in order ,and they were self‐compared before dosing .After each drug administration ,the hearts were stimulated respectively with the BCL of 2 000 ms ,1 000 ms ,500 ms ,and 300 ms .Then we observed the changes of APD80 and APD50 in the left and right ventricles before and after the interventions .Results ① In the control group ,APD80 and APD50 of the right ventricle were longer than those of the left ventricle in response to different stimulation , and the differences increased with the decrease of stimulating frequency .② When BCL was 1000 ms ,APD80 and APD50 of the left and right ventricles were prolonged respectively after administration of dofetillide , but the differences in APD80 and APD50 were insignificant between the left and right ventricles (P>0 .05) .ΔAPD80 of the two ventricles increased significantly with the decrease of stimulating frequency . ③ After administration of ATX‐Ⅱ , when BCL was 1000 ms ,APD80 and APD50 of the left and right ventricles increased significantly compared with those in the control group and dofetillide intervention group (P0 .05) .The increase of ΔAPD80 of the two ventricles became milder when the stimulating frequency decreased . Conclusion ① IKr blocked by dofetillide did not affect the heterogeneity between the two ventricles , which showed reverse‐frequency dependence . ② In the context of blocking IKr , ATX‐Ⅱ increased the heterogeneity between the left and right ventricles and enhanced the reverse‐frequency dependence .In contrast ,mexiletine ,the blocker of INa‐L ,decreased the heterogeneity between the two ventricles and reverse‐frequency dependence .

Reduced immunoreactivities of B-type natriuretic peptide in pulmonary arterial hypertension rats after ranolazine treatment / 대한해부학회지

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe pulmonary vascular disease characterized by sustained increase in the pulmonary arterial pressure and excessive thickening and remodeling of the distal small pulmonary arteries. During disease progression, structural remodeling of the right ventricular (RV) impairs pump function, creates pro-arrhythmic substrates and triggers for arrhythmias. Notably, RV failure and lethal arrhythmias are major contributors to cardiac death in PAH that are not directly addressed by currently available therapies. Ranolazine (RAN) is an anti-anginal, anti-ischemic drug that has cardioprotective effects of heart dysfunction. RAN also has anti-arrhythmic effects due to inhibition of the late sodium current in cardiomyocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that RAN could reduce the mal-adaptive structural remodeling of the RV, and prevent triggered ventricular arrhythmias in the monocrotaline-induced rat model of PAH. RAN reduced ventricular hypertrophy, reduced levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, and decreased the expression of fibrosis. In addition, RAN prevented cardiovascular death in rat model of PAH. These results support the notion that RAN can improve the functional properties of the RV, highlighting its potential benefits in the setting of heart impairment.