What is it about?
Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a severe condition associated with signifi-cant morbidity and mortality in people living at high altitude. Tsantan Sumtang, a traditional Ti-betan medicine, has been routinely used for the treatment of cardiopyretic disease, as well as sten-ocardia. Interestingly, our previous research found that Tsantan Sumtang improved HPH in rats maintaining in a hypobaric chamber. We performed a series of experiments to test the indexes of vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling, the key pathophysiological characteristics of HPH. Our results showed that Tsantan Sumtang relaxed noradrenaline (NE)-precontracted rat pulmonary ar-tery rings in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. The PGI2-cAMP（Prostaglandin I2-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate）pathway, NO-cGMP (Nitric oxide-Cyclic guanosine monophosphate) pathway and the opening of K+ channels (inward rectifier K+ channels, large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels and voltage-dependent K+ channels) might play major roles in the vas-orelaxation effect. In vivo, the administration of Tsantan Sumtang resulted in a substantial decrease in the rat mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI). The reduction of thickness of small pulmonary arterial wall and the WT% (the ratio of the vascular wall thickness to the vascular diameter) were observed. The smooth muscle musculariza-tion of the arterials was alleviated by Tsantan Sumtang treatment at the same time. Tsantan Sum-tang also reduced remodeling of pulmonary arterioles by suppressing the expression of proliferat-ing cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) through inhibition of p27Kip1 degradation. Therefore, Tsantan Sumtang could be applied as a preventative medication for HPH, which would be a new use for this traditional medi-cine.
Featured Image
Photo by Art by Lønfeldt on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Tsantan Sumtang could be applied as a preventative medication for HPH, which would be a new use for this traditional medicine
Perspectives
This study explored new effects and the underlying mechanisms of Tsantan Sumtang on HPH. Our research showed that Tsantan Sumtang could be a potential preventative medication for HPH, in addition to its traditional cardiovascular usage. We found that the administration of Tsantan Sumtang prevented HPH based on pulmonary artery vasorelaxation and the reversal of proliferation. The mechanism involved in pulmonary artery vasorelaxation might be related to the PGI2-cAMP pathway, NO-cGMP pathway and the opening of K+ channels (inward rectifier K+ channels, large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels and voltage-dependent K+ channels). Tsantan Sumtang also alleviated pulmonary vascular cells proliferation in HPH rats by suppressing cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression through the inhibition of p27Kip1 degradation. Further research of effects and the cor-responding mechanisms of Tsantan Sumtang related to HPH is needed and will be ongoing.
Qilian He
Qinghai University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Tsantan Sumtang Alleviates Chronic Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension by Inhibiting Proliferation of Pulmonary Vascular Cells, BioMed Research International, November 2018, Hindawi Publishing Corporation,
DOI: 10.1155/2018/9504158.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
