Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Receptor Autoradiography Protocol for the Localized Visualization of Angiotensin II Receptors
Published on: June 7, 2016
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker inhibits pulmonary injury
G B John Mancini1, Nasreen Khalil
1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada. mancini@interchange.ubc.ca
Purpose:
Pulmonary damage and fibrosis may be the result of diverse forms of injury and there is an association between pulmonary diseases and cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, valsartan, on systemic, cellular, and fibrotic consequences of pulmonary injury induced by the anti-neoplastic antibiotic, bleomycin.
Methods:
Sprague Dawly rats were used in the classical bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis. Bleomycin (1 unit, n = 7) was administered intra-tracheally to induce lung injury. Valsartan (0.66 mg) was given either concomitantly (n = 9) or for two days prior to bleomycin (n = 8). A control group (n = 6) was given normal saline.
Results:
Valsartan-treated animals showed abrogation of weight loss, suppression of release of total and active transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1), and diminished connective tissue synthesis. In an explant, lung tissue culture model devoid of alveolar macrophages (saline control, n = 3; bleomycin, n = 6; bleomycin plus valsartan, n = 12), both total and active TGF-beta1 were suppressed in the valsartan-treated cohort.
Conclusions:
Valsartan, known to have cardio-protective properties, was shown to be protective of bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury. Thus, ARBs may be beneficial in both cardiac and pulmonary diseases.
Insights
Valsartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, mitigates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and injury in rats by reducing weight loss and fibrotic markers.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiovascular Research
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Pulmonary damage and fibrosis can result from various injuries.
- Pulmonary diseases are linked to cardiovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess valsartan's effects on systemic, cellular, and fibrotic outcomes.
- To investigate valsartan's impact on bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in Sprague Dawly rats.
- Administered bleomycin intra-tracheally to induce lung injury.
- Treated rats with valsartan concomitantly or prior to bleomycin exposure.
Main Results:
- Valsartan treatment prevented weight loss and suppressed transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) release.
- Diminished connective tissue synthesis was observed in valsartan-treated rats.
- Explant lung tissue cultures showed suppressed TGF-beta1 levels with valsartan treatment.
Conclusions:
- Valsartan demonstrated protective effects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury.
- Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) may offer benefits for both cardiac and pulmonary conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
01:30Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
01:25Antihypertensive Drugs: Direct Renin Inhibitors
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
01:18Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). Of...
01:23Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...