Comparison between the effect of mycophenolate mofetil and sildenafil on the vascular structure and cell factors in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and sildenafil on the systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP),right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI),pulmonary arterial and heart structural of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) rat models.Methods The rat models of monocrotaline (MCT)-PAH were developed.Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned into the control group,the MCT group,the MMF (40 mg·kg-1·d-1) group,the sildenafil (20 mg·kg-1·d-1) group,and the MMF (40 mg·kg-1·d-1) + sildenafil (20 mg·kg-1·d-1) group.The SPAP and RVHI were measured,and the pulmonary arterial and heart structural changes were observed for all rats.Statistical analysis were performed by one-way ANOVA and rank-sum test.Results ① SPAP of the MMF group,the sildenafil group and the MMF + sildenafil group were (31±8),(37±8),(29±6) mmHg,while that of the MCT group was (53±7) mmHg,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.01).The RVHIs in the MMF group,the sildenafil group and the MMF+sildenafil group were reduced [(0.365±0.038),(0.407±0.047),(0.325 ±0.459) respectively] when compared with the MCT group (0.543±0.080),the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.01).The SPAP between the MMF+sildenafil group and the sildenafil group was statistically significantly different (P＜0.05),and the RVHI difference between the MMF+ sildenafil group and the sildenafil group was statistically significant (P＜0.05).② The wall thic-kness/tubes diameter of the MMF group (0.355±0.074) and the MMF+sildenafil group (0.289±0.017) were reduced when compared with that of the MCT group [(0.466±0.006)],the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The wall thickness/tubes diameter of the MMF group (0.355±0.074) were reduced compared with the sildenafil group (0.455±0.006),and the difference was statistically significant (P＜O.05).In addition,the wall thickness/tubes diameter of the MMF+ sildenafil group (0.289±0.017) was reduced when compared with that of the sildenafil group (0.455±0.006),and the difference was statistically significant (P＜ 0.05).Conclusion Both sildenafil and MMF can reduce the SPAP and RVHI of PAH rat models induced by MCT.MMF and sildenafil can reduce wall thickness as well.