[Expression and distribution of bFGF mRNA in lung tissue of rat with chronic pulmonary hypertension].

To evaluate the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, 30 wistarmale rats were divided into hypoxic group and control group. Rat models with chronic hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension were established. The pulmonary hemodynamics was measured and the concentration of bFGF in rat lung tissue was determined quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression and distribution of bFGF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in rat lung was observed by in situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probe. The result showed the mean pulmonary artery pressure and the concentration of bFGF in rat lung tissue were 3.96 +/- 0.47 kPa, 18.06 +/- 2.97 pg/ml in rats exposed to hypoxia for 3 weeks, respectively; both were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.001 respectively); expression of bFGF mRNA in the wall of pulmonary arterioles in rats exposed to hypoxia was stronger than that of control group. bFGF mRNA increased obviously in endothial cells, smooth muscle and advential tissue of pulmonary arterioles. These suggest that bFGF takes part in reconstruction of pulmonary arterioles wall in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, and the main mechanism of bFGF in modulating the structural remodeling of pulmonary arterioles may be autocrine and paracrine.