Study on the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid on the medication for pulmonary hypertension with the experimental animal model.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24700846
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits, studies on eating habits
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Maki 岩手医科大学, 薬学部, 助教 (40365185)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 肺高血圧症 / n-3系多価不飽和脂肪酸 / モノクロタリン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, I investigated that the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3PUFA), DHA and EPA, on the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension using monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive (PH) rats. Fish oil was orally given as a source of n-3 PUFA once a day. Continuous administration of fish oil by itself failed to prolong the survival duration and to ameliorate the right ventricular hypertrophy of PH rats. In contrast, the treatment with fish oil partially improved the vascular function of the pulmonary artery isolated from PH rats. Moreover, the treatment with fish oil tended to attenuate the expression of interleukin (IL)-18 mRNA, a cytokine belonging to the IL-1 superfamily. These results suggest the possibility that n-3PUFA acts as an adjunctive agent in PH medication.

Free Research Field

分子薬理学