Jorge Lucas Teixeira-Fonseca et al. Diego Jose Belato y Orts Polyana Leal da Silva Michael Ramon de Lima Conceição … Hernan Hermes Carlos R. Prudencio Danilo Roman-Campos
Abstract
Background
D-limonene (D-L) is the major monocyclic monoterpene in citrus plants with anti-inflammatory properties. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can cause right heart dysfunction and increases the risk of death, partially due to inflammatory response in the heart.
Objective
To evaluate the possible protective effect of D-L on cardiac function in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced PH (MCT-PH).
Methods
Electrocardiogram was monitored in vivo. Masson Trichrome technique was deployed to verify fibrosis in the heart. Contractility function of isolated atrial tissue was studied using organ bath chamber. Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to quantify inflammation in the right ventricle.
Results
The MCT-PH group showed electrical and structural heart remodeling, with the presence of fibrosis in the cardiac tissue and in vivo electrocardiographic changes. Treatment with D-L partially prevented the development of tissue fibrosis and the increase in P wave duration in the MCT-PH group. The contraction and relaxation velocity of isolated right and left atrium were accelerated in CTR and MCT-PH animals treated with D-L. Finally, D-L was able to prevent the abnormal expression of the key inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1-β, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-α) in the right ventricle of MCT-PH animals. D-L was able to enhance the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10.
Conclusion
Our results showed that in vivo administration of D-L partially prevented the molecular, structural and functional remodeling of the heart in the MCT-PH model with attenuation of the inflammatory response in the heart.