Medial hypertrophy of pulmonary arterioles during pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in humans is associated with enhanced proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Elevated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 has been found in pulmonary artery SMCs (PA-SMCs) in humans with idiopathic PAH, leading to the hypothesis that MMP-2 contributes to the proliferation and migration of vascular SMCs in the pathogenesis of PAH. Rapidly growing meat-type (broiler) chickens provide a model of spontaneous PAH. The present study was conducted to determine whether MMP-2 is involved in the medial hypertrophy of pulmonary arterioles in this model. Cultured PA-SMCs from normal birds were used to evaluate the effect of MMPs on cell proliferation. Gelatin zymography showed that endothelin (ET)-1-induced proliferation of PA-SMCs was concomitant with increased pro- and active MMP-2 production. Reverse transcription PCR demonstrated upregulation of MMP-2 mRNA. However, PA-SMC proliferation was inhibited by the MMP inhibitors doxycycline and cis-9-octadecenoyl-N-hydroxylamide. In vivo experiments revealed a significant increase of MMP-2 expression in hypertrophied pulmonary arterioles of PAH broiler chickens, which was positively correlated with wall thickness and medial hypertrophy. MMP-2 may contribute to medial hypertrophy in pulmonary arterioles during PAH in broiler chickens by enhancing the proliferation of vascular SMCs.
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