Role of eNOS/PKG-1 pathway in L-Arginine against right ventricular remodeling induced by monocrotaline in rats / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To investigate the role of eNOS/PKG- 1 pathway in L-arginine (L-arg) intervention in right ventricular remodeling induced by monocrotaline (MCT) in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with the aid of the tool medicine L-NAME. Methods Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into control group, MCT group, L-Arg group and L-Arg + L-NAME group. The general condition of rats was observed; the right ventricular pressure of rats was measured by right heart catheterization; the rats and the right ventricle were weighed and the right ventricular mass index was calculated; the morphological changes of the right ventricular were observed by H&E staining; the protein expressions of cTnl, eNOS and PKG-1 were detected by Western blot in the right ventricular. Results Compared with control group, right ventricular max pressure and right ventricular mass index significantly increased ( P < 05) ; the weight of rats in MCT group was significantly reduced ( P < 0. 05); the right ventricular myocytes were hypertrophic, disordered and infiltrated with inflammatory cells; the protein expression of cTnl was obviously up-regulated ( P < 0. 05 ) ; the protein expressions of eNOS and PKG-1 were significantly down- regulated ( P < 0. 05 ) . L-arg could significantly improve the above changes ( P < 0. 05 ). However, the effects of L-arg were inhibited by eNOS inhibitor L- NAME. Conclusions L-arg can improve the right ventricular remodeling in rats induced by MCT, and the mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of the protein levels of eNOS and PKG-1.