Mechanical stimulation of micro-vascular endothelial cells contributes to lung remodelling in chronic heart failure

长期心力衰竭时会出现呼吸短促，部分原因是肺部变得伤痕累累，变得僵硬，导致肺更难扩张，工作效率降低。当心脏功能受损时，通常是在心脏病发作后，流入心脏的血管压力增加，血管扩张。我认为，这些血管的伸展导致了长期心力衰竭的肺疤痕形成。我们的研究团队已经开发出一种模型，可以让我们检查拉伸排列在小血管上的细胞的后果。利用这个模型，我将研究拉伸对细胞释放促进瘢痕形成的物质的影响。我们希望找出心力衰竭中肺疤痕形成的原因，以期发现新的靶点，以改善这种非常常见和令人衰弱的疾病患者的生活。

Shortness of breath in longstanding heart failure occurs partly because the lungs become scarred and stiff, with the result that they are more difficult to expand and work less efficiently. When heart function is impaired, most commonly after a heart attack, the pressure in blood vessels draining into the heart increases and they become distended. I propose that stretching of these blood vessels contributes to lung scarring in longstanding heart failure. Our research team has developed a model that allows us to examine the consequences of stretching the cells that line small blood vessels. Using this model, I shall investigate the effect of stretch on the release of substances from cells that promote scar formation. We hope to identify the cause of lung scarring in heart failure with a view to discovering new targets for improving the lives of patients suffering from this very common and debilitating condition.