siRNA Targeting ECE-1 Partially Reverses Pulmonary Arterial Hypertensionassociated Damage in a Monocrotaline Model

Title:siRNA Targeting ECE-1 Partially Reverses Pulmonary Arterial Hypertensionassociated Damage in a Monocrotaline Model

Volume: 17

Author(s): Citlali Margarita Blancas-Napoles, Sandra Edith Cabrera-Becerra, Vivany Maydel Sierra-Sánchez, Sergio Adrian Ocampo-Ortega, Vanessa Giselle Garcia-Rubio, Rodrigo Romero-Nava, Fengyang Huang, Enrique Hong, Asdrúbal Aguilera-Méndez and Santiago Villafaña*

Affiliation:

• Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México

Abstract:

Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a possible treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease characterised by a pulmonary arterial pressure greater than 20 mmHg. One of the factors that contribute to PAH is an increase in the production of endothelin-1, a polypeptide that increases vascular resistance in the pulmonary arteries, leading to increased pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective: The objective of this study was to design, synthesize, and evaluate two siRNAs directed against endothelin-1 in a rat model of PAH induced with monocrotaline.

Methods: Wistar rats were administered monocrotaline (60 mg/kg) to induce a PAH model. Following two weeks of PAH evolution, the siRNAs were administered, and after two weeks, right ventricular hypertrophy was evaluated using the RV/LV+S ratio, blood pressure, weight, and relative expression of ECE-1 (Endothelin-converting enzyme-1) mRNA (messenger RNA) by RT-PCR (real-time PCR).

Results: The monocrotaline group showed an increase in the hypertrophy index and in ECE-1 mRNA, as well as a significant decrease in weight compared to the control group, while in the monocrotaline + siRNA group, a significant decrease was observed in the relative expression of ECE-1 mRNA, as well as in right ventricular hypertrophy.

Conclusions: Based on the above information, we conclude that the administration of siRNAs directed to ECE-1 decreases the damage associated with PAH.

Cite this article as:

Blancas-Napoles Citlali Margarita, Cabrera-Becerra Sandra Edith, Sierra-Sánchez Vivany Maydel, Ocampo-Ortega Sergio Adrian, Garcia-Rubio Vanessa Giselle, Romero-Nava Rodrigo, Huang Fengyang, Hong Enrique, Aguilera-Méndez Asdrúbal and Villafaña Santiago*, siRNA Targeting ECE-1 Partially Reverses Pulmonary Arterial Hypertensionassociated Damage in a Monocrotaline Model, Current Molecular Pharmacology 2024; 17 : e18761429283384 . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0118761429283384240226074921