Gene expression in rat right ventricles during chronic pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary vascular occlusions due to thromboemboli can result in pulmonary hypertension and right heart damage. Treatments to clear the vascular obstructions such as i.v. heparain or thrombolytics can resolve the hypertension but right ventricular damage often occurs first. Methods of protecting the right ventricle from hypertensive damage during the course of acute treatment to clear the thromboemboli are needed. Monocyte- and neutrophil-mediated inflammation and fibrosis are associated with chronic right ventricular damage but the pathways involved are not understood. A comprehesive survey of gene expression during chronic pulmonary embolism verses control rats has been conducted in this study.血栓栓塞（thromboemboli）引发的肺血管阻塞（pulmonary vascular occlusions）可导致肺动脉高压（pulmonary hypertension）及右心损伤（right heart damage）。针对血管阻塞的清除治疗手段（如经静脉（intravenous，i.v.）输注肝素（heparin）或溶栓药物（thrombolytics））虽可逆转肺动脉高压，但右心室损伤（right ventricular damage）往往已先期发生。当前亟需可在急性血栓清除治疗期间，保护右心室免受高血压损伤的干预手段。单核细胞（monocyte）与中性粒细胞（neutrophil）介导的炎症反应及纤维化（fibrosis）与慢性右心室损伤密切相关，但其具体参与的信号通路尚未明确。本研究针对慢性肺栓塞（chronic pulmonary embolism）大鼠（rats）与对照大鼠的基因表达情况开展了全面分析。