[Measurement of Rho-kinase in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension related to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].

OBJECTIVE

To determine effects of the RhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathway on patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension related to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases by testing levels of Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1(ROCK1) in peripheral blood monocytes in healthy subjects, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension related to COPD.

METHODS

Ten healthy subjects (Group A), 10 patients with COPD (Group B), and 10 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension related to COPD (Group C) were enrolled, all of whom were hospitalized in the Third Hospital of Changsha between Dec. 2010 and Apr. 2011. Twenty milliliters of blood was collected from each subject. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated by Percoll and, monocytes were incubated. Levels of ROCK1 in the three groups were measured by ELISA. The pulmonary function was measured by spirometric tests, and the pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) was detected by color Doppler echocardiogram.

RESULTS

1)The PASP in Group C was significantly higher than that of Groups A and B(P<0.01). 2) The levels of ROCK1 in monocytes of Group C were higher than those of Groups A and B(P<0.05). The levels of ROCK1 in monocytes of Group B were higher than those of Group A (P<0.05). 3) The levels of ROCK1 in monocytes of the three groups showed a positive correlation with PASP(r=0.661, P<0.05). 4) The levels of ROCK1 in monocytes of the three groups showed a negative correlation with forced expiratory volume at the first second/ forced vital capacity (FEV1%)(r=0.131, P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Rho kinase plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The ROCK1 may be a marker of the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension related to COPD.