SDF-1 and its receptor in the ventricles of rat with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension

Aim: Chemokine stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) plays an important role in many processes such as apoptosis, proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, and these effects are mediated mostly by the receptor CXCR4. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the ventricles of rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: 10–12 weeks old male Wistar rats were injected with monocrotaline (s. c., 60mg/kg; MON) or vehicle (CON). Rats were sacrificed 1 week (1W-MON, 1W-CON), 2 weeks (2W-MON, 2W-CON) and 4 weeks after monocrotaline administration (4W-MON, 4W-CON). Gene expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 was determined by qRT-PCR.

Results: We observed a decrease in the SDF-1 expression on mRNA level in the right ventricle in 2W-MON and 4W-MON rats without any changes in the left ventricles and a decrease in CXCR4 expression in 1W-MON in both ventricles with an increase of CXCR4 expression in 4W-MON in the left ventricle (*P ˂ 0.05).

Conclusion: SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is affected in both ventricles of rats with monocrotaline model of pulmonary hypertension.