Abstract:

 Objective  To investigate the effect of adenovirus-mediated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene transfection on the development of pulmonaryhypertension induced by high pulmonary blood flow. Methods  Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups with ten rats in each group: the sham operation group, the operation group, the test group and the control group. Except forthe sham operation group, groups were developed into left-to-right shunt pulmonary hypertensiocuff technique. Recombinant adenovirus(AdCMVeNOS) was transfected into the test group using tracheal inhalation. We observed expression and activity of eNOS in the lung by immunohistochemistry and colorimetry, measured themPAP， mRVP, mCAP and RVHI, and calculated WT%. Results  Brown spots in the full wall of pulmonary vessels were seen in the test group. The expression level of eNOS in the test group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The number of eNOS expression-positive cells in the sham operation group was lower than in the test group but higher than in the control group. The activity of eNOS obviously decreased in the operation and control groups compared with that in the sham operation group （P＜0. 05), and increased in the operation groupcompared with those in the control and sham operation groups. The levels of mRVP, mPAP, RVHI and WT% were similar between the operation group and the control group,which were significantly higher than those in the sham operation group (P＜0.05).The levels of the above four indicators were obviously lower in the test groupthan in the control group. Conclusion  Adenovirusmediated eNOSgene transfection can increase expression and activity of eNOS in lung tissue of the pulmonary hypertension rat model induced by high pulmonary blood flow, and delays the development of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Key words: Nitric-oxide synthase; Hypertension, pulmonary; Transfection; Gene therapy; Rats, Wistar