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

肺动脉高压发生时，肺血管关闭。这是一种致命的疾病，患者在诊断后3-5年内死亡。它发生在女性比男性多，但原因尚不清楚。我们已经确定了一个可能的原因。血清素是一种化学物质，主要由肠道产生，但也由肺部产生。它具有多种作用，包括关闭肺部血管的能力。在肺动脉高压期间，血清素系统的活性增加。在人工增加血清素系统的肺动脉高压小鼠模型中，是雌性小鼠发展肺动脉高压。我们希望研究女性激素雌激素是否与血清素相互作用，从而促进肺动脉高压的发展。

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.