Maxingxiongting mixture attenuates hypoxia pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve right ventricular hypertrophy by inhibiting the rho-kinase signaling pathway.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the mechanism of Maxingxiongting mixture (MXXTM) on pulmonary hypertension in a rat model established by intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline solution, smoking and forced swimming.

METHODS:

A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, high-dose of MXXTM group (HM), low-dose of MXXTM group (LM), and fasudil group. The mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was measured by using a miniature catheter. Lung tissue and right ventricular tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle + septum (LV + S) were weighted. RV/(LV+S) was calculated to reflect the degree of right ventricular hypertrophy. Rho/Rho-kinase signaling pathway key proteins (RhoA, ROCK Ⅰ and ROCK Ⅱ) in rat right ventricular tissue were measured by Western blot analysis. The levels of serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the levels of plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin Ⅱ (ANG-Ⅱ), aldosterone (ALD) in rat anticoagulated plasma were all measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS:

Compared with the control group, the mPAP and RV/(LV+S) in the model group were significantly increased. Administration of fasudil resulted in a significant decrease of mPAP and RV/ (LV+S). In the HM group and LM group, mPAP and RV/ (LV+S) were significantly lower than the model group. Compared with the control group, the contents of HIF-1α, VEGF, PRA, ANG-Ⅱ and ALD in the model group were significantly increased. The administration of fasudil and high-dose MXXTM significantly reduced the contents of HIF-1α, VEGF, PRA, ANG-II and ALD. Compared with the control group, the expression of RhoA, ROCK Ⅰ and ROCK Ⅱ in the right ventricle of the model group were significantly increased. The administration of fasudil and high-dose MXXTM significantly reduced the expression of RhoA and Rock Ⅱ proteins. Our results indicated that high-dose of MXXTM had similar effects on reducing pulmonary artery pressure and improving right ventricular remodeling to fasudil. However, MXXTM was unable to restore parameters above to control levels.

CONCLUSIONS:

MXXTM attenuates hypoxia pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve right ventricular hypertrophy by inhibiting the Rho-kinase signaling pathway.

• Authors: Xing An, Songtao Li, Xiangwen Weng, Xian Wang, Hao Wu, Xinyue Zhang, Jian Gao, Renxu Yang, Bo Peng, Songtao Li, Xiangwen Weng, Xian Wang, Xinyue Zhang, Jian Gao
• Journal: Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan (J Tradit Chin Med) Vol. 40 Issue 6 Pg. 992-998 (12 2020) ISSN: 2589-451X [Electronic] China
• PMID: 33258351 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• rho-Associated Kinases
• Oxygen

Topics

• Animals
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular (complications, drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)
• Hypoxia (drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)
• Male
• Oxygen (metabolism)
• Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (complications, drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (genetics, metabolism)
• rho-Associated Kinases (genetics, metabolism)