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[Integripetal rhodiola herb attenuates high altitude-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in rats.] [Article in Chinese]

BAI Ma-Kang-Zhuo, GUO Yan, BIAN Ba-Dun-Zhu, DONG Hai, WANG Tao, LUO Feng, WEN Fu-Qiang, CUI Chao-Ying^*

Medical College of Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China； Institute of Pathology, Basic Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China； The Tibetan Medicine Research Institute of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Lhasa 850000, China； Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of integripetal rhodiola herb on pulmonary arterial remodeling and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in high altitude pulmonary hypertension in rats. Fifty healthy male Wistar rats were divided into five groups randomly: Plain control group (LC group), 10-day plateau group (H10 group), 30-day plateau group (H30 group), 10-day rhodiola-treated plateau group (R10 group), and 30-day rhodiola-treated plateau group (R30 group). Each group included 10 rats. The rats in LC group were kept in Chengdu (500 meters above sea level), and rats in H and R groups were kept in Lhasa (3 700 meters above sea level). The rats in R group were daily treated with integripetal rhodiola herb extract (24%, 10 mL/kg) intragastrically for 10 d or 30 d, while rats in LC and H groups were treated with the same volume of saline. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was detected via a catheter in the pulmonary artery by pressure waveform monitoring. The ratio value of right ventricle weight to left ventricle plus septum weight [RV/(LV + S)] was measured. The microstructure of pulmonary arterioles was examined by electron microscopy. The expression of VEGF in the lung was investigated using immunohistochemistry. The results showed that mPAP and [RV/(LV + S)] in H10 group and H30 group were higher than those in LC group (P < 0.05); but there was no significant difference between H10 group and R10 group (P < 0.05); and mPAP and [RV/(LV + S)] in H30 group were lower than those in H30 group (P < 0.05). Electron microscopy showed that compared to LC group, arteriolar endothelial cells were arranged in a columnar or palisading form, protruding into the lumen, accompanied with luminal stenosis, irregular internal elastic membrane, and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in H groups, which was more obvious in H30 group than in H10 group; while these pathological changes were attenuated in the R groups compared to H groups. The levels of VEGF protein in H groups were also higher than those in LC group (P < 0.05); while the expression of VEGF in R30 group was lower than that in H30 group. In summary, the results show that the integripetal rhodiola herb can attenuate high altitude-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling in rats, and the inhibition of VEGF protein expression by rhodiola may be one of the mechanisms.

Key words: integripetal rhodiola herb; pulmonary hypertension; vascular endothelial growth factor

Received: 2010-10-18　　Accepted: 2011-01-24

Corresponding author: 崔超英　　E-mail: cuisangmu@yahoo.com

Citing This Article：

BAI Ma-Kang-Zhuo, GUO Yan, BIAN Ba-Dun-Zhu, DONG Hai, WANG Tao, LUO Feng, WEN Fu-Qiang, CUI Chao-Ying. [Integripetal rhodiola herb attenuates high altitude-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in rats.] [Article in Chinese]. Acta Physiol Sin 2011; 63 (2): 143-148 (in Chinese with English abstract).