[Effect of tetrandrine on endothelin expression in the lungs and clinical significance thereof: experiment with rat models with nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of tetrandrine on endothelin expression in the lungs and its clinical significance.

METHODS

25 pregnant female SD rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups: Groups A to D were fed with nitrofen to cause congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in the fetuses. Group A was injected with normal saline, Group B with dexamethasone (DXM), Group C with tetrandrine, and Group D with DXM + tetrandrine. Group E was control Group. On day 21.5 of pregnancy the fetuses were delivered by cesarean section and killed. Microscopy was used to observe the CDH formation, and the relative wall thickness (RWA) and relative wall area (RWA) of pulmonary arterioles. The lung/body weight ratio, and relative integrated optical density (IOD) of pulmonary arteriole and bronchiole were observed. The expression of endothelin in the lung tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

9 rats of Group A-D produced 57 fetuses with CDH with a CDH arte of 45.2%. The lung/body weight ratios, and RWA values of Group A-D were all significantly lower than that of Group E (all P < 0.05). The RWT of pulmonary arteriole was significantly lower in Groups B and C compared with Group E (both P < 0.05). The RWT and RWA of Group A were significantly lower than those of Group B-D (all P < 0.05). The values of relative IOD of pulmonary tissues and of pulmonary arteriole of Group A-D were all significantly lower than those of Group E (all P < 0.05). A positive correlation existed between the relative IOD of endothelin in pulmonary arteriole and in bronchiole (P < 0.01), and among the RWT and RWA of pulmonary arteriole, and relative IOD (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Tetrandrine improves the pulmonary hypoplasia and degrades the pulmonary hypertension.