Mechanisms Of Apelin/APJ Signaling Pathway In The Portal Hypertension

Objective: The aim of this research is to investigate and explore the mechanism of apelin/APJ signaling in the mesentery and liver of the formation of portal hypertension(PHT), and to demonstrate the activation of apelin/APJ signaling pathway participating in or not in the process of liver fibrosis and angiogenesis, so as to find experimental basis for the subsequent study.Methods: Under the ethics requirements, rat portal hypertension model was induced by two classical types, including partial portal vein ligation(PPVL) and bile duct ligation(BDL) so that the research begin at different angle. Portal pressure and the activation of apelin/APJ signaling of mesentery and liver were accessed by general observation, hemodynamics, morphology, histochemistry, real-time PCR and Western Blot, so that the expression of apelin/APJ in mesentery and liver were measured during the gene and protein level.Results: Compared with each sham-operated group, the portal pressure of the two types of portal hypertension model group increased significantly postoperatively, and the enhanced formation of angiogenesis and collateral vessel of mesentery could be easily identified. Bile duct ligation model(BDL) showed obvious fibrosis, but the partial portal vein ligation model(PPVL) did not. Apelin and APJ were highly expressed in the liver of the bile duct ligation model and of the partial portal vein ligation model. Apelin and APJ were highly expressed in the mesentery only in the partial portal vein ligation model but not the bile duct ligation model.Conclusion: Apelin/APJ signaling would contribute to the formation of portal hypertension, also participate in the formation of liver fibrosis, and further investigation should be carried out.