Project description:17β-estradiol (E2) exerts complex and context-dependent effects in pulmonary hypertension. In hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH), E2 attenuates lung vascular remodeling through estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent effects; however, ER target genes in the hypoxic lung remain unknown. In order to identify the genome regulated by the E2-ER axis in the hypoxic lung, we performed a microarray analysis in lungs from HPH rats treated with E2 (75 mcg/kg/d) ± ER-antagonist ICI182,780 (3 mg/kg/d). Untreated HPH rats and normoxic rats served as controls. Using a false discovery rate of 10%, we identified a significantly differentially regulated genome in E2-treated vs. untreated hypoxia rats. Genes most up-regulated by E2 encoded matrix metalloproteinase 8, S100 calcium binding protein A8, and IgA Fc receptor; genes most down-regulated by E2 encoded olfactory receptor 63, secreted frizzled-related protein 2, and thrombospondin 2. Several genes affected by E2 changed in the opposite direction after ICI182,780 co-treatment, indicating an ER-regulated genome in HPH lungs. The bone morphogenetic protein antagonist Grem1 (gremlin 1) was up-regulated by hypoxia, but found to be among the most down-regulated genes after E2 treatment. Gremlin 1 protein was reduced in E2-treated vs. untreated hypoxic animals, and ER-blockade abolished the inhibitory effect of E2 on Grem1 mRNA and protein. In conclusion, E2 ER-dependently regulates several genes involved in proliferative and inflammatory processes during hypoxia. Gremlin 1 is a novel target of the E2-ER axis in HPH. Understanding the mechanisms of E2 gene regulation in HPH may allow for selectively harnessing beneficial transcriptional activities of E2 for therapeutic purposes.
Project description:To investigate the underlying mechanism of pulmonary hypertension, the model of hypoxia-treated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) rats were constructed to detect the differentially expressed profile of circRNAs in lung tissue of PAH rat. The whole genome microarray expression profiling analysis as a discovery platform have been employed to identify genes difference.
Project description:High-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) is a severe and progressive disease caused by chronic hypoxia and subsequent pulmonary vascular remodeling. No cure is currently available owing to an incomplete understanding about vascular remodeling. It is believed that hypoxia-induced diseases can be prevented by treating hypoxia. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether daily short-duration reoxygenation at sea level attenuates pulmonary hypertension under high-altitude hypoxia. To this end, a simulated 5,000-m hypoxia rat model was used to evaluate the effect of short-duration reoxygenation. Results show that intermittent, not continuous, short-duration reoxygenation effectively attenuates hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. The mechanisms underlining the protective effects involved that intermittent, short-duration reoxygenation prevented functional and structural remodeling of pulmonary arteries and proliferation, migration, and phenotypic conversion of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells under hypoxia. The specific genes or potential molecular pathways responsible for mediating the protective effects were also characterised by RNA sequencing.This study is novel in revealing a new potential method in preventing high-altitude pulmonary hypertension. It gives insights into the selection and optimisation of oxygen supply schemes in high-altitude areas.
Project description:Non-coding RNA plays an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). Therefore, we use high-throughput RNA sequence and bioinformatics methods to analyze the whole transcriptome HPH rats in lung tissue.
