Sildenafil Prevents Marfan-Associated Emphysema and Early Pulmonary Artery Dilation in Mice.

ABSTRACT: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in fibrillin-1 (Fbn1). Although aortic rupture is the major cause of mortality in MFS, patients also experience pulmonary complications, which are poorly understood. Loss of basal nitric oxide (NO) production and vascular integrity has been implicated in MFS aortic root disease, yet their contribution to lung complications remains unknown. Because of its capacity to potentiate the vasodilatory NO/cyclic guanylate monophosphate signaling pathway, we assessed whether the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, sildenafil (SIL), could attenuate aortic root remodeling and emphysema in a mouse model of MFS. Despite increasing NO-dependent vasodilation, SIL unexpectedly elevated mean arterial blood pressure, failed to inhibit MFS a

SUBMITTER: White Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6997843 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature