Reduced Expression of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Lungs of Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 333; no. 4; pp. 214 - 221
• Main Authors: Giaid, Adel, Saleh, Dina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 27.07.1995
• Subjects: Adult; Amino Acid Oxidoreductases - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular - enzymology; Epithelium; Epithelium - enzymology; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension, Pulmonary - enzymology; Immunoreactivity; Laboratories; Lung - blood supply; Lung - enzymology; Lungs; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; NADPH Dehydrogenase - analysis; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Pneumology; Pulmonary arteries; Pulmonary artery; Pulmonary Artery - enzymology; Pulmonary hypertension. Acute cor pulmonale. Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary vascular diseases; Rodents; Smooth muscle; Vasoconstriction; Veins & arteries; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Lung disease; Respiratory disease; Enzyme; Immunological investigation; Lung; Nitrogen monoxide; Cardiovascular disease; Synthase; Pulmonary hypertension; Endothelium
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199507273330403

Pulmonary hypertension is generally characterized by increased thickening of the walls of pulmonary arteries, narrowing of the pulmonary-artery lumen, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, and right-sided heart failure. 1 – 3 Clinically, patients have increasing dyspnea, cyanosis, precordial discomfort, anginal pain, and cardiomegaly. 1 – 3 Histologically, pulmonary arteries with such resistance, particularly those less than 100 μm in diameter, show various degrees of intimal thickening and muscular hypertrophy. 1 , 4 , 5 Pulmonary hypertension can be either idiopathic (primary) or due to other disease conditions. A number of humoral factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension, but there is no evidence that any . . .