Terguride ameliorates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats

Eur Respir J. 2011 May;37(5):1104-18. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00126010. Epub 2010 Oct 14.

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disease characterised by vasoconstriction and remodelling of the pulmonary vasculature. The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) pathway has been shown to play a major role in the pathogenesis of PAH, but pharmacological modulation of this pathway for treatment of PAH is, to date, at a pre-clinical level. Terguride is a 5-HT receptor (5-HTR) antagonist that is well tolerated and clinically approved for ovulation disorders. Immunohistochemistry against 5-HTR(₂A/B) on human lungs revealed their localisation to the vascular smooth muscle layer and quantitative RT-PCR showed 5-HTR(₂B) upregulation in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) isolated from PAH patients. Proliferation and migration of cultured primary human PASMC were dose-dependently blocked by terguride. Therapeutic 5-HT signalling inhibition was 1) demonstrated in isolated, ventilated and perfused rat lungs and 2) by chronic terguride treatment of rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in a preventive or curative approach. Terguride inhibited proliferation of PASMCs and abolished 5-HT-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction. Chronic terguride treatment prevented dose-dependently the development and progression of MCT-induced PAH in rats. Thus, terguride represents a valuable novel therapeutic approach in PAH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dopamine Agonists / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / chemically induced
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology
  • Lisuride / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lisuride / therapeutic use
  • Lung / drug effects*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / physiopathology
  • Lung Transplantation
  • Male
  • Monocrotaline / pharmacology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / pathology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / physiopathology
  • Pulmonary Artery / drug effects
  • Pulmonary Artery / pathology
  • Pulmonary Artery / physiopathology
  • Rats
  • Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists
  • dironyl
  • Monocrotaline
  • Lisuride