High levels of hyaluronan in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

ABSTRACT: Hyaluronan (HA), a large glycosaminoglycan found in the ECM, has major roles in lung and vascular biology and disease. However, its role in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is unknown. We hypothesized that HA metabolism is abnormal in IPAH. We measured the plasma levels of HA in IPAH and healthy individuals. We also evaluated HA synthesis and the expression of HA synthases and hyaluronidases in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) from explanted lungs. Plasma HA levels were markedly elevated in IPAH compared with controls [HA (ng/ml, mean +/- SD): IPAH 325 +/- 80, control 28 +/- 9; P = 0.02]. In vitro, unstimulated IPAH PASMCs produced high levels of HA compared with control cells [HA in supernatant (microg/ml, mean +/- SD): IPAH 12 +/- 2, controls 6 +/- 0.9; P =

SUBMITTER: Aytekin M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2584887 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature