The Expression Levels Of Caspase-3 In Lung Tissue Of High Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension Rats After Returning Plain And Fluoxetine Treatment

Objective: To investigate the Caspase-3 expression levels in lung tissue of high altitude pulmonary hypertension rats after returning plain. Discuss the impact of fluoxetine treatment on those returning plain rats with high altitude pulmonary hypertension.Methods: 220 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 22 groups: the normal control group (N, 10 rats), blank control groups (W1-7, 10 rats), fluoxetine groups (F1-7, 10 rats), experimental control groups (C1-7, 10 rats), hypoxic groups (10 days, 20 days, 30 days) and returning plain groups (10 days, 20 days, 30 days, and 90 days). All rats were same feed; Rats in the blank control groups, fluoxetine groups, and distilled water control groups were kept in hypobaric chamber, which simulated the environment of the 5000m altitude. Rats in the normal control group were raised at 2260m. Expression of Caspase-3 protein was detected by Western blotting.Results: (1) The expression level of Caspase-3 in W1-3 (13.88±1.34, 6.70±0.74, 5.09±0.75) groups were gradually decrease with the extension of hypoxia, comparied with the hypoxic group 0 day (32.01±0.96) (P<0.01). Caspase-3 in W1-3 and C1-3 groups were lower than F1-3 groups (P<0.05), but there were no difference between W1-3 and C1-3 (P>0.05).(2) The expression level of Caspase-3 in F4-7, W4-7 and C4-7 groups were all increasing gradually with the extension of returning plain from the plateau environment, 90 days group shows the most significant comparing with others (P<0.05). Caspase-3 in W4-7 groups and C4-7 groups were lower than F4-7,P<0.05. (3) The expression level of Caspase-3 in C1-3 was gradually decrease with the extension of hypoxia, however, after returning plain, Caspase-3 in C4-7 was increasing gradually with the extension of returning plain from the plateau environment. But the expression level of Caspase-3 in 90 days group was still lower than N grouop.Conclusion: (1) In plateau environment, the Caspase-3 expression level of lung tissue with high altitude pulmonary hypertension rat is decreased. (2) Fluoxetine can increase Caspase-3 of rats with high altitude pulmonary hypertension and promote apoptosis. (3) Returning plain can increase Caspase-3 of rats with high altitude pulmonary hypertension and promote apoptosis.