Objective: To observe the changes of lipid levels in mice with pulmonary hypertension induced by hypoxia.
Methods: The animal model of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension was established by exposing the mice to isobaric hypoxic chamberfor 3 weeks (23 h/d, regular chow feed). Twenty male C57BL/6 mice were randomlydivided into normoxia group and hypoxia group (n=10). The concentrations of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in plasma were detected by Elisa method.The mRNA levels of HMG-CoAreductase (HMGCR), low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), scavenger receptor class B1 (SR-B1), and sterol regulatory element-binding factor-2 (SREBF2) in liverwere measured by real-time PCR.
Results: ① The right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and the weight ratio of right ventricle (RV) to left ventricle plus septum (LV+S) of hypoxia group were significantly higher than those of normoxia group (P<0.05).② The concentrations of HDL and HDL/LDL in plasma were significantly higher in hypoxia group, compared with normoxia group (P<0.05).③The mRNA levels of LDLR and SR-B1in liver were significantly down-regulated in hypoxia group(P<0.05).④RVSP were significantly negative correlated with HDL/LDL, the gene expression of LDLR and SR-B1 (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Abnormal lipid metabolism participates in the pathological proceeding of pulmonary hypertension induced by hypoxia.
Keywords: hypoxia; lipid metabolism; mice; pulmonary hypertension.