Journal article

Publication year: 2005

Pages: 358-363

Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Volume number: 172

Issue number: 3

ISSN: 1073-449X

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200502-296OC

Publisher: American Thoracic Society

Abstract: 
Rationale: Inhaled iloprost is an effective therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, no study to date has addressed the effects of inhaled iloprost on changes to pulmonary vascular structure that occur in PAH. Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate chronic antiremodeling effects of inhaled iloprost in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH in rats. Methods: Four weeks after a single injection of MCT, after full establishment of PAH, rats were nebulized with iloprost at a dose of 6 mu g (.) kg(-1) (.) day(-1), or underwent sham nebulization with saline. Results: After 2 weeks of inhalation therapy, right ventricular pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were reversed in rats treated with iloprost, but not in sham-treated control animals. Systemic arterial pressure was unaffected. In addition, right heart hypertrophy, the degree of pulmonary artery muscularization, and the medial wall thickness of intraacinar pulmonary arteries regressed in response to iloprost. Furthermore, the MCT-induced increase in matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 activities and tenascin-C expression was suppressed. Conclusions: We conclude that the inhalation of iloprost reverses PAH and vascular structural remodeling in MCT-treated rats. This regimen suggests the possibility of an antiremodeling therapy in PAH.

Harvard Citation style: Schermuly, R., Yilmaz, H., Ghofrani, H., Woyda, K., Pullamsetti, S., Schulz, A., et al. (2005) Inhaled lloprost reverses vascular remodeling in chronic experimental pulmonary hypertension, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 172(3), pp. 358-363. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200502-296OC

APA Citation style: Schermuly, R., Yilmaz, H., Ghofrani, H., Woyda, K., Pullamsetti, S., Schulz, A., Gessler, T., Dumitrascu, R., Weissmann, N., Grimminger, F., & Seeger, W. (2005). Inhaled lloprost reverses vascular remodeling in chronic experimental pulmonary hypertension. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 172(3), 358-363. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200502-296OC