ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Chirurgia 2012 October;25(5):339-44

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Establishment and characterization of chronic pulmonary hypertension rat models subjected to left-to-right shunting

Lu R., Wang J., Zhong Q.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China

AIM: The purpose of this study was to reproduce a pulmonary hypertension morphologically and functionally similar to clinical pulmonary hypertension (PH) and to evaluate the physiopathological change of PH due to left-to-right shunting.
METHODS:A total of 80 male inbred line healthy SD rats of specified-pathogens free class, 4 weeks old, weighing 95-110 g, were randomly assigned into shunt operation group (N.=40) and control group (N.=40). Shunt operation group was received left-to-right shunting by the connection of common carotid artery and external jugular vein via a shrinking polyethylene blood vessel connector, while control group was received sham operation, and served as control. Every four weeks postoperation (4, 8, 12, 16weeks, respectively), ten models were determined with a series of procedures: hemodynamics examination, pathological sample preparation, hematoxylin-eosin staining, imaging analysis and so on. Results including: changes in right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy index and relative medial wall thickness in moderate sized pulmonary arteries in shunt and control group.
RESULTS: All rats survived the operation. Hemodynamic parameters were evaluated at the 12nd and 16th week, compare to sham operation group, We observed a significant higher pulmonary blood flow in shunt operation group (P<0.01). Shunt operation group rats developd a significant (P<0.01) PH (higher right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy index, and increase in medial wall thickness of pulmonary arteries).
CONCLUSION: Left-to-right continuously low-flow shunt in rats can induce right ventricle hypertrophy in response to the elevation of right ventricular systolic pressure and promote chronic pulmonary artery remodeling gradually. The establishment of left-to-right shunt rat models by the connection of common carotid artery and external jugular vein is a stable tool for studying chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension caused by congenital heart disease.