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Updated: Nov 23, 2025
The Left Pneumonectomy Combined with Monocrotaline or Sugen as a Model of Pulmonary Hypertension in Rats
Published on: March 8, 2019
Characteristics of inflammation process in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats
Chao Tang1, Yunmei Luo1, Sha Li1
1Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, China; Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563000, China.
Objective:
A growing evidence demonstrates that inflammation is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, blocking inflammation has only been shown to be of minor clinical benefit due to a lack of understanding of the precise inflammation present in PAH. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate characteristics of inflammatory process in PAH induced by monocrotaline (MCT) in rats.
Methods:
Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single dose of MCT (50 mg/kg, ip), and the occurrence of PAH and inflammation biomarkers were measured at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 days after MCT injection.
Results:
From the 6th day after the injection of MCT, the mean pulmonary artery pressure gradually increased and doubled on the 30th day, accompanied by right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary arterial remodeling in a time-dependent manner. In the first 6 days after MCT treatment, only pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β increased, which was defined as acute inflammatory phase, after that, both pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and anti-inflammatory factors Arg1, IL-10, TGF-β increased, which was defined as chronic inflammatory phase. The M1/M2 macrophage ratios in lung and alveolar lavage fluid were elevated on the 6th and 30th day, moreover, which were higher on the 6th than 30th day, and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway increased along with the progression of PAH and correlated with pro-inflammatory proteins, which revealed also to some extent the characteristics of inflammation of PAH induced by MCT.
Conclusion:
The course of PAH induced by MCT injection is progressive with persistent inflammation, which is defined as acute inflammatory phase within 6 days after MCT treatment, after that, is defined as chronic inflammatory phase.
