Mario Fournier
Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Publications
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Research Article
Temporal Changes in Key Signal Transduction Pathways Mediating Muscle Protein Synthesis with Adaptive and Maladaptive Right Ventricular Hypertrophy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Author(s): Ryan C Middleton, Mario Fournier, Russell G Rogers, Brandon S Grimes, Xuan Xu and Michael I Lewis*
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by occlusive remodeling of pulmonary arteries < 500 micron and increased pulmonary vascular resistance. With the onset of PAH, the right ventricle (RV) of the heart adapts to the increased afterload pressure by undergoing adaptive hypertrophic remodeling to maintain adequate blood flow. However, for unknown reasons, maladaptive influences ensue, resulting in impaired RV function with progressive decompensation and right heart failure. Using a rodent model of PAH, key signaling pathways mediating cardiac muscle protein synthesis in the RV were evaluated during both the adaptive hypertrophy phase, with preserved right heart function, and the decompensated maladaptive phase, in which right heart failure (RHF) was present. Analysis of protein and gene expression changes in PAH animals identified three key sign.. Read More»