Percutaneous Carbon Dioxide Treatment Using a Gas Mist Generator Attenuates the Development of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Monocrotaline-induced Pulmonary Hypertensive Rats

Background : Highly concentrated carbon dioxide (CO_2) is useful for treating ischemic diseases. Therefore, we investigated whether treatment with a few micrometers of C_2 molecules, atomized by two fluid nozzles (CO_2 mist), could attenuate the development of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary hypertensive rats. / Methods : Six-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: one that received injected saline; a second that received subcutaneous monocrotaline (MCT; 60 mg/kg) without treatment (PH-UT) group; and a third that received MCT with CO_2 mist treatment (PH-CM) after MCT administration. The lower body of each rat was encased in a polyethylene bag, filled with the designated gaseous agent via a gas mist generator, for 30 minutes daily. Hemodynamics and cardiac function were measured at 28 days after beginning MCT administration. Protein levels were measured by western blotting....