Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in premature rat model of the new type bronchopulmonary dysplasia / 重庆医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein and mRNA in lung tissue of premature rat model of the new type bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).Methods Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or PBS was injected into 60 pregnant rats on the 15th day of gestation.The premature rats by cesarean delivery on the 21th day of gestation were divided into 5 groupsPBS+ air group,PBS+ hyperoxia group,LPS+hyperoxia group,PBS+hyperoxia+rhEPO group,LPS+hyperoxia+rhEPO group.In rhEPO intervention groups,after 6 h exposure to hyperoxia,rhEPO (1 200 IU/kg) was administrated subcutaneously,once every other day for 7 times.The survival rate,body weight,lung weight and lung weight/body weight ratio and pathological changes of lung tissue were observed,the expression levels of VEGF protein and mRNA in the lung tissue were determined by Western blot and RT-PCR at the 1st,7th and 14th day after hyperoxia exposure.Results Compared with the PBS+air group,the survival rate and body weight were decreased,the lung weight was increased,the lung pathological damages were more serious,the expression levels of VEGF protein and mRNA in lung tissue were decreased after hyperoxia exposure.These changes were more notable in the LPS+hyperoxia group (P＜0.05).The lung weight/body weight ratio showed an increasing tendency (P＞0.05).The above indexes were improved after rhEPO intervention (P＜0.05).Conclusion rhEPO could increase the survival rate and produce certain intervention and treatment effects by regulating the VEGF relative pathway in BPD model rats.