DIZE attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling and smooth muscle neointimal proliferation
Using H-E staining, the medial wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles (50–100 μm in diameter) was found to increase significantly in the SuPNX42 rats compared with that in sham-operated rats (Figures 4A and 4D). Early DIZE treatment (SuPNx42/DIZE1-42) significantly attenuated the medial wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles, when compared with the vehicle-treated rats (SuPNx4)(Figures 4A and 4D). However, no significant changes in medial wall thickness were observed in the SuPNx42/DIZE­29-42group when compared with that of the SuPNx42 rats.
In addition, Verhoeff-van Gieson staining was carried out for evaluating the severity of neointimal formation (Figure 4B). The distribution of vascular lesions and an average vascular occlusion score (VOS) are presented in Figure 4E. The SuPNx42 rats developed severe pulmonary vascular remodeling with a VOS of 1.27± 0.74. In the early treatment group with DIZE, the VOS was significant decreased (0.87± 0.54) compared to the SuPNx42 rats (p<0.05 ). There was also a trend of decrease in the late treatment group with a VOS of 1.07 ± 0.79 when compared to the SuPNx42 rats.