Table 7.
Experimental data supporting beneficial effects of DHEA in PH.
| Model | DHEA effects | Proposed mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Hypoxia | Prevent, rescue PH | BKCa channels (37, 144) |
| Rescue PH | BKCa inhibits 5HT-, KCl-induced SMC growth (89) | |
| Rescue RV | Reduces cardiomyocyte proliferation (88) | |
| Altitude | Prevent, rescue PH | Enhances sGC (306) |
| MCT | Prevent, rescue PH | Inhibits Src, STAT3, Pim1 |
| PASMCs | Increases BMPR2, miR-204 (316) | |
| MCT-PNX | Prevent, rescue | Inhibits RhoA/Rho kinase (159) |
| Sugen/hypoxia | Rescue RV > PH | Reduces RV capillary rarefaction, apoptosis, ROS via STAT3 (8) |
| Cardiomyocytes | Antichronotropic, antihypertrophic | Reduces T-type Ca channels (254) Inhibition of natriuretic peptide expression |
| Antihypertrophic | Reduces ET-1 induced hypertrophy (301) Inhibits BNP |
BKCa, Large conductance Ca2+-activated K channel; 5HT, serotonin; KCl, potassium chloride; SMC, smooth muscle cells; RV, right ventricle; GC, soluble guanylate cyclase; MCT, monocrotaline; STAT3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; BMPR2, bone morphogenetic receptor type II; PNX, pneumonectomy; ET-1, endothelin 1; BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide.