Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an increase in pulmonary vascular pressure. It is one of the most common complications that occur as a result of degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) in dogs. Serotonin (5-HT) can trigger the development of PH. Accordingly, this study investigated the changes in the expression of genes and proteins associated with local 5-HT signaling in the lungs and pulmonary arteries (PA) of dogs with PH secondary to DMVD. Lung and PA tissue samples were collected from the cadavers of fourteen small-breed dogs and divided into normal (n = 4), DMVD (n = 5) and DMVD with PH (n = 5) groups. Gene expression (tph1, slc6a4 and htr2a) was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression of proteins (TPH-1, SERT, 5-HTR2A, ERK1/2 and pERK1/2) was examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that the expression of genes and proteins evaluated by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis in lung and PA tissues did not differ among groups. However, the expression of proteins related to 5-HT signaling tended to be upregulated in PA tissues from DMVD dogs with and without PH. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the overexpression of these proteins in the DMVD and DMVD with PH groups in lung tissue. These findings suggest a local effect of 5-HT signaling in DMVD dogs with and without PH.
Keywords: canine; degenerative mitral valve disease; gene; lung; protein; pulmonary artery; pulmonary hypertension; serotonin.