Quercetin,the key constituent of Astragali Radix,modulates ferroptosis in PASMCs and attenuates hypoxia pulmonary hypertension via the MAPK signaling pathway

This study delved into the mechanism by which the principal component of Astragali Radix regulated ferroptosis in the context of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension,employing a combination of network pharmacology and experimental validation techniques.Active constituents of Astragali Radix and their corresponding targets were identified using the TCMSP database,while therapeutic targets associated with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension were sourced from the GeneCards database.The Venn online tool facilitated the identification of overlapping targets between the active constituents of Astragali Radix and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.Interaction network diagrams depicting the relationship between Astragali Radix’s active constituents and their targets were constructed using Cytoscape software,with core targets and sub-networks identified using the CytoHubba plug-in.Gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses were conducted using the DAVID database.Additionally,the FerrDb database was consulted to analyze genes implicated in regulating ferroptosis.The investigation revealed 18 active constituents selected from Astragali Radix,with quercetin emerging as the key component.A total of 35 potential targets associated with Astragali Radix in regulating ferroptosis and addressing hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension were predicted.Experimental validation demonstrated that quercetin could inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway,resulting in reduced Fe2+and lipid peroxide levels,increased GPX4 expression,and the reversal of ferroptosis.In summary,this study elucidated the fundamental constituents and pivotal signaling pathways through which Astragali Radix modulated ferroptosis and mitigated hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.Specifically,quercetin,a core constituent of Astragali Radix,was observed to inhibit ferroptosis in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells via the MAPK pathway and alleviate hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

The effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats

Objective:To study the influence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)transplantation on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPH)in rats.Methods:MSCs in SD rats were separated,cultivated,identified in vitro,and labeled by the green fluorescence protein(GFP)adenovirus.Healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups:normal control group(NC group)and HPH group,with eight rats in each group respectively;HPH+mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group(MSCs group)and HPH+vascular endothelial growth factor+mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group(VEGF+MSCs group),with twenty-four rats in each group respectively.In this experiment,intermittent normobaric hypoxia was employed to establish the pulmonary hypertension rat models,with stem cells transfected and transplanted.The mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP)was observed in rats to calculate the right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI);the morphological changes of pulmonary arterioles in each group of rats were observed under the microscope;the distribution and manifestation of MSCs fluorescently labeled by adenovirus transfection were observed in pulmonary arterioles under the fluorescence microscope at the set time points of 7 d,14 d and 28 d after the transplantation of stem cells.Results:For NC group,the mPAP(mmHg)was 15.5±1.5 at 28 d,while the mPAP in HPH,MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups were 26.1±1.9,21.6±2.7 and 20.1±2.9 respectively which were apparently higher than that in NC group(p<.01).Compared with HPH group(p<.01),the mPAP was obviously decreased in MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups.There was no significant difference between MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups.At 28 d,RVHI for NC group was 0.28±0.02,while the RVHI in HPH,MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups were 0.43±0.07,0.34±0.03 and 0.35±0.01 respectively which were apparently higher than that in NC group(p<.01).In comparison with HPH group,RVHI was significantly decreased in MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups(p<.05).There was no significant difference between MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups.For HPH group,at 28 d,pulmonary arterioles were apparently thickened,with luminal stenosis&obliteration and incomplete endothelial cells.Compared with HPH group,pulmonary arterioles in MSCs group became thinning,with the lumen unobstructed and the integrity of endothelial cells improved.The changes in the manifestation of MSCs and VEGF+MSCs groups were not significant.Conclusions:The transplantation of MSCs can improve the remodeling of pulmonary arterioles to partially reverse the progress of HPH;the combined transplantation of VEGF and MSCs doesn’t improve the effect of MSC transplantation.

Acute effect of tetrandrine pulmonary targeting microspheres on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats

Objective To assess the effect of tetrandrine (Tet) pulmonary targeting microspheres on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and evaluate its selective action on pulmonary circulation.Methods Twenty rats were exposed to hypoxic conditions for 3 weeks. Ten rats were used as normoxic controls. We administered Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres to 10 hypoxic rats and Tet aqueous solution to 10 hypoxic rats and the 10 control rats. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured by a right cardiac catheterization, and mean systemic blood pressure (mSBP) was measured by left femoral catheterization. Results Rats exposed to hypoxia developed pulmonary hypertension. The decrease in mPAP in rats treated with Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres was significantly greater than that in rats receiving Tet aqueous solution (P【0.05), and the effects were longer with Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres. Moreover, Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres, unlike Tet aqueous solution, did not decrease mSBP.Conclusion Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres were more effective than Tet aqueous solution in treating hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and acted selectively on the pulmonary circulation.