Effect of oestrogen on the serotonin system : role in the development of pulmonary hypertension

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Pulmonary hypertension occurs when the blood vessels of the lung close down. It is a fatal disease with patients dying within 3-5 years of diagnosis. It occurs more in females than males yet the reason for this is unknown. We have identified a possible reason for this. Serotonin is a chemical produced primarily by the gut but also by the lungs. It has a variety of effects including the ability to close down the blood vessels of the lungs. During pulmonary hypertension the activity of the serotonin system is increased. In mice models of pulmonary hypertension where the serotonin system is artificially increased, it is female mice that develop pulmonary hypertension. We wish to investigate if the female hormone oestrogen interacts with serotonin in such a way as to promote the development of pulmonary hypertension.