Therapeutic effects of the selective farnesoid X receptor agonist obeticholic acid in a monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model
| Autor: | Erica Sarchielli, Paolo Comeglio, Gabriella B. Vannelli, Sandra Filippi, Ilaria Cellai, C. Corno, Linda Vignozzi, Mario Maggi, Annamaria Morelli, Luciano Adorini |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Hypertension Pulmonary Pulmonary Fibrosis Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism Receptors Cytoplasmic and Nuclear 030209 endocrinology & metabolism Pharmacology Chenodeoxycholic Acid Pulmonary function testing Rats Sprague-Dawley Bleomycin 03 medical and health sciences chemistry.chemical_compound 0302 clinical medicine Endocrinology Right ventricular hypertrophy Pulmonary fibrosis medicine Animals Antibiotics Antineoplastic Monocrotaline Lung business.industry Obeticholic acid medicine.disease Pulmonary hypertension Tadalafil Rats Disease Models Animal medicine.anatomical_structure chemistry 030220 oncology & carcinogenesis Farnesoid X receptor business medicine.drug |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. 42:951-965 |
| ISSN: | 1720-8386 |
| Popis: | Activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a member of the nuclear receptor steroid superfamily, leads to anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in several tissues, including the lung. We have recently demonstrated a protective effect of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist obeticholic acid (OCA) in rat models of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the positive effects of OCA treatment could be exerted also in established MCT-induced PAH, i.e., starting treatment 2 weeks after MCT administration. Rats with MCT-induced PAH were treated, 2 weeks after MCT administration, with OCA or tadalafil for two additional weeks. Pulmonary functional tests were performed at week 2 (before treatment) and four (end of treatment). At the same time points, lung morphological features and expression profile of genes related to smooth muscle relaxation/contraction and tissue remodeling were also assessed. 2 weeks after MCT-induced injury, the treadmill resistance (a functional parameter related to pulmonary hypertension) was significantly decreased. At the same time point, we observed right ventricular hypertrophy and vascular remodeling, with upregulation of genes related to inflammation. At week 4, we observed a further worsening of the functional and morphological parameters, accompanied by dysregulation of inflammatory and extracellular matrix markers mRNA expression. Administration of OCA (3 or 10 mg/kg/day), starting 2 weeks after MCT-induced injury, significantly improved pulmonary function, effectively normalizing the exercise capacity. OCA also reverted most of the lung alterations, with a significant reduction of lung vascular wall thickness, right ventricular hypertrophy, and restoration of the local balance between relaxant and contractile pathways. Markers of remodeling pathways were also normalized by OCA treatment. Notably, results with OCA treatment were similar, or even superior, to those obtained with tadalafil, a recently approved treatment for pulmonary hypertension. The results of this study demonstrate a significant therapeutic effect of OCA in established MCT-induced PAH, improving exercise capacity associated with reduction of right ventricular hypertrophy and lung vascular remodeling. Thus, OCA dosing in a therapeutic protocol restores the balance between relaxant and contractile pathways in the lung, promoting cardiopulmonary protective actions in MCT-induced PAH. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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