Changes of type I collagen in the lungs of rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension]

The changes of type I collagen in the lung tissues of rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) and its relationship to the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were investigated. The blood dynamic indexes of pulmonary circulation were measured by using Swan-Ganz. The distribution of type I collagen in pulmonary arteries, bronchi and plumonary interstitial was observed by using streptavidin peroxidase method (SP). The morphologic changes of small pulmonary arteries and the level of type I collagen were determined by image pattern analysis technique and gray scale scanning, respectively. The results showed, compared with the controls, mPAP of the hypoxic rats elevated (from 2.12 +/- 0.25 to 3.95 +/- 0.43 kPa, P < 0.01), their small pulmonary arteries, walls thickened (MT% from 16.35 +/- 2.64 to 35.83 +/- 3.55, MA% from 26.83 +/- 3.40 to 59.68 +/- 4.90, P < 0.01) and lumen narrowed. The distribution of type I collagen was mainly in the external layer of pulmonary arterial walls; the positive degrees of gray scale scanning increased and had a positive linear relationship to the mPAP and MT%. These findings suggest that the increase of type I collagen contents in pulmonary arteries is closely related to the development of HPH.