Protective effects of vasonatrin peptide against hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats

1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo effects of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH).
2. The HPH model was developed by subjecting rats to hypobaric hypoxia. The HPH rats were then treated with either VNP (50 μg/kg per day, i.p.) or saline (0.5 mL, i.p.) every day for 7 days. Haemodynamic indices, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and remodelling of the pulmonary arteries were evaluated. In addition, plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), endothelin (ET)-1 and angiotensin II (AngII) were determined, as was natriuretic peptide receptor-C (NPR-C) mRNA expression in the right ventricle.
3. Hypobaric hypoxia induced severe HPH compared with the normoxic control group. Treatment of HPH rats with VNP for 1 week significantly reduced mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, RVH and muscularization of the pulmonary arteries, although pulmonary blood flow was increased in this group. In addition, significantly lower levels of plasma ET-1 and AngII and cardiac NPR-C mRNA expression were observed in VNP-treated compared with saline-treated HPH rats, whereas higher plasma concentrations of ANP were found in the former group. Acute intravenous administration of 50 μg/kg VNP significantly ameliorated pulmonary haemodynamics in HPH rats.
4. Taken together, the date indicate that VNP has certain preventative and therapeutic effects against HPH.