Effects Of Gender On Pulmonary Arterioles Remodeling Induced By Monocrotaline In Rats

Objective: To observe the effects of gender on pulmonary arteriolesremodeling induced by monocrotaline in rats.Methods:34SD rats were randomly divided into4groups: female controlgroup (n=7), male control group (n=7), female model group (n=10),male model group (n=10).The Model were made by injected subcutaneouslywith a single MCT (50mg/kg)at neck and back of rats. After4w, the weight,mean pulmonary arterial pressure and morphological changes of lung tissueby HE staining were measured. The mRNA of endogenous Nitric-OxideSynthasem (eNOS) were measured by real time RT-PCR. The expression ofestrogen receptor in pulmonary arterial wall was measured by IHC.RESULTS: Compared with the male control group, the mPAP（P＜0.01), thepulmonary arterial medial thickness was increased with stenosis andaccompanyed by interstitial lung inflammation; the mRNA expression ofeNOS was decreased（P＜0.01); the levels of eNOS, NO, cGMP, cAMP weredecreased in plasma（P<0.01or P＜0.05); the expression of estrogen receptorin pulmonary arterioles wall was not changed significantly in the male modelgroup. Compared with the female control group, the mPAP, pulmonaryarterial structure did not change significantly; the mRNA expression of eNOSwas increased（P＜0.05); the levels of eNOS, NO, cGMP, cAMP wereincreased in plasma（P<0.01or P＜0.05); the expression of estrogen receptorin pulmonary arterioles wall was increased in the female model group.Compared with the male model group, the mPAP （P＜0.05) and thepulmonary arterial medial thickness were decreased significantly; theinterstitial lung inflammation were improved; the ratio of mRNA expression of eNOS was increased（P＜0.01); the ratio in levels of eNOS, NO, cGMP,cAMP were increased in plasma（P<0.01or P＜0.05); the expression ofestrogen receptor in pulmonary arterioles wall was increased in the femalemodel group.Conclusion: The effects of gender on pulmonary vascular remodeling wasdifferent in rats induced by MCT, with male more sensitive than female,which mechanism may be related to eNOS/NO/cGMP, cAMP, and estrogenreceptor.