M.P. Davydova1, M.A. Markov2

1,2 Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia)

An excessive activity of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is acknowledged one of the reasons of pulmonary hypertension (PH) development or of its maintaining. Carotid bodies activation is a stimulus of an increase of SNS tone. By an acute experiment it has been established, that even unilateral activation of carotid bodies led to a transitory elevation of pulmonary arteries resistance. We proposed, that a long-term ischemia of the carotid bodies, received blood from one of the carotid arteries, can serve as an independent mechanism of PH development.

The goal of the study is to evaluate of a possibility of steady pulmonary hypertension state development by chronic unilateral ischemia of the carotid bodies in rats.

An ischemia state of the carotid bodies was performed by left common carotid artery transection or by left external carotid artery ligation. One month after the operation a significant elevation of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in heart right ventricle was received after left common carotid artery transection – 35.9 mm Hg vs 30.0 mm Hg in control group, first quartiles - 31.7 mm Hg and 24.3 mm Hg, third quartiles – 41.9 mm Hg and 30.7 mm Hg, accordingly (p<0.05). Also a small, but significant increase of the media area and smooth muscle cells layers number of pulmonary arteries of a small diameter was obtained in this experimental group. Bigger morphometric changes were observed in the group with left external carotid artery ligation. Morphometric results indicate that the increase in the media thickness in the experimental groups (on about 7% and 41% accordingly) occurred due to a hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells and a hyperplasia as well. Despite the presence of the morphometric signs of an elevated resistance in the pulmonary arteries, a hypertrophy of heart right ventricle was not found in any operated group, and obtained changes correspond to the development of moderate PH.

In this study a novel model of the pulmonary hypertension was created and a possibility of pulmonary hypertension development, secondary to unilateral ischemia of carotid bodies area, was confirmed.

Davydova M.P., Markov M.A. A novel model of pulmonary hypertension as a result of unilateral ischemia of carotid bodies. Technologies of Living Systems. 2022. V. 19. № 1. Р. 20-27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j20700997-202201-03 (In Russian)

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