Vascular dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension: Role of protein kinase G-1a nitration

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is a common and debilitating complication of pulmonary, cardiac, and extrathoracic pathologies. The development of pulmonary hypertension is associated with elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), and increased vascular remodeling. Pulmonary vascular tone is regulated through the activation of protein kinase G-la (PKG-la), which is the isoform predominantly found in the lungs, via a complex signaling pathway that involves nitric oxide (NO), natriuretic peptides (NP), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Vascular injury secondary to increased reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) in pulmonary hypertension disrupts these regulatory mechanisms, potentiating the development of vascular dysfunction. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this dysfunction are not completely understood and were the focus of this study.