[The effects of hypoxia on angiotensin II secretion by cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells].

The alterations of paracrine function of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAEC) might play an important role in the development of hypoxic artery hypertension (HPAH). To test this hypothesis, the effects of hypoxia on angiotensin II (AT II) secretion by new born bovine PAEC were investigated. AT II secretion increased significantly when PAECs were incubated under 2.5% O2 hypoxic condition for 1.5 h (P < 0.01 vs control). But it decreased from 1.5 h to 12 h incubation and increased from 12 h to 48 h incubation under 0% O2 hypoxic condition, with significance compared with control group (P < 0.01). NO donor SIN-1 inhibited but endogenous NO inhibitor L-nitro-arginine promoted AT II secretion significantly under both normorxic and hypoxic conditions. It was also found that the concentration of cyclic guanine monophosphate in PAEC decreased significantly at 24 h incubation in 0% O2. The above results suggest that changes of AT II in PAEC may participate in the development of HPAH.