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Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Induction of Right Ventricular Failure by Pulmonary Artery Constriction and Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function in Mice
Published on: May 13, 2019
Gene Deletion of VIP Leads to Increased Mortality Associated with Progressive Right Ventricular Hypertrophy
Anthony M Szema1, Sayyed A Hamidi1
1Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, 11794 Stony Brook, NY (AMS, SAH); Allergy Section, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 11768 Northport, NY, (AMS); Three Village Allergy & Asthma, PLLC, 11720 South Setauket, NY, (AMS); Research, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 11768 Northport, NY, USA (SAH).
Abstract:
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) knockout mice exhibit asthma, pulmonary hypertension, and left ventricular wall thinning. Humans with these disorders have premature death. We show here that VIP KO mice have reduced survival (100% mortality at 20 months), vs. 100% survival among WT C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, the ratios of weights of right ventricle divided by left ventricle plus septum were progressively increased in VIP KO mice with age. Core temperatures were lower in VIP KO mice when compared to WT littermates, with an associated pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu. Overall, our results indicate that VIP is important for survival in mice. Its absence leads to increased mortality, with progressive right ventricular hypertrophy as a surrogate of pulmonary hypertension, lower body weight, hypothermia, and pro-inflammatory milieu. These studies support VIP as a novel therapeutic agent in pulmonary hypertension.
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