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The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat reduces fibrogenesis and portal pressure in cirrhotic rats.

ABSTRACT: In cirrhotic patients, portal hypertension (PHT) deteriorates survival, yet treatment options are limited. A major contributor to increased intrahepatic vasoconstriction in PHT is dysfunctional nitric-oxide signaling. Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is the receptor of nitric-oxide and can be stimulated by riociguat. Riociguat is approved for pulmonary hypertension but has not been studied in liver cirrhosis. In this study we assessed the effects of riociguat on PHT and liver fibrosis in cholestatic (bile duct ligation, BDL) and toxic (carbon-tetrachloride, CCl4) rat models. In cirrhotic livers sGC expression was upregulated. In BDL rats, riociguat reduced liver fibrosis and decreased portal pressure without affecting systemic hemodynamics. In an early BDL disease stage, riociguat decreased bile duct proliferation, improved sinusoidal vascular dysfunction and inhibited angiogenesis. In advanced BDL riociguat exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. In CCl4 rats the beneficial effects of riociguat treatment were less pronounced and confined to an early disease stage. Similarly, in patients with cholestatic cirrhosis and PHT nitrates (that induce sGC activity) decreased portal pressure more effectively than in patients with non-cholestatic etiology. We also found an improvement of transaminases in patients with pulmonary hypertension receiving riociguat. Our findings support the clinical development of sGC stimulators in patients with cirrhotic PHT.

SUBMITTER: Schwabl P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6008436 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat reduces fibrogenesis and portal pressure in cirrhotic rats.

Schwabl Philipp P Brusilovskaya Ksenia K Supper Paul P Bauer David D Königshofer Philipp P Riedl Florian F Hayden Hubert H Fuchs Claudia Daniela CD Stift Judith J Oberhuber Georg G Aschauer Stefan S Bonderman Diana D Gnad Thorsten T Pfeifer Alexander A Uschner Frank Erhard FE Trebicka Jonel J Rohr-Udilova Nataliya N Podesser Bruno Karl BK Peck-Radosavljevic Markus M Trauner Michael M Reiberger Thomas T

Scientific reports 20180619 1

In cirrhotic patients, portal hypertension (PHT) deteriorates survival, yet treatment options are limited. A major contributor to increased intrahepatic vasoconstriction in PHT is dysfunctional nitric-oxide signaling. Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is the receptor of nitric-oxide and can be stimulated by riociguat. Riociguat is approved for pulmonary hypertension but has not been studied in liver cirrhosis. In this study we assessed the effects of riociguat on PHT and liver fibrosis in cholesta ...[more]

PMID: 29921982

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Project description:Background: Lower-limb peripheral artery disease (PAD) is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus. PAD is associated with poor limb and cardiovascular prognoses, along with a dramatic decrease in life expectancy. Despite major medical advances in the treatment of diabetes, a substantial therapeutic gap remains in the PAD population. Praliciguat is an orally available soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator that has been reported both pre-clinically and in early-stage clinical trials to have favorable effects in metabolic and hemodynamic outcomes, suggesting that it may have a potential beneficial effect in PAD. Objective: We evaluated the effect of praliciguat on hind limb ischemia (HLI) recovery in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. Methods: HLI was induced in leptin receptor-deficient (Leprdb/db) mice by ligation and excision of the left femoral artery. Praliciguat (10 mg/kg/day) was administered in the diet starting 3 days before surgery. Results: 28 days after surgery, ischemic foot perfusion and function parameters were better in praliciguat-treated mice than in vehicle controls. Improved ischemic foot perfusion was not associated with either improved traditional cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., weight, glycemia) or increased angiogenesis. However, treatment with praliciguat significantly increased arteriole diameter, decreased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) expression, and prevented the accumulation of oxidative pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory muscle fibers. While investigating the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of praliciguat therapy, we found that praliciguat significantly downregulated Myh2 and Cxcl12 mRNA expression in cultured myoblasts and that conditioned medium form praliciguat-treated myoblast decreased ICAM-1 mRNA expression in endothelial cells. These results suggest that praliciguat therapy may decrease ICAM-1 expression in endothelial cells by downregulating Cxcl12 in myocytes. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that praliciguat promotes blood flow recovery in the ischemic muscle of mice with type 2 diabetes, at least in part by increasing arteriole diameter and by downregulating ICAM-1 expression.

Dataset Information

The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat reduces fibrogenesis and portal pressure in cirrhotic rats.

Publications

The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat reduces fibrogenesis and portal pressure in cirrhotic rats.

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