Scientific research on pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary Circulation Unit: research lines

Our main purpose is to better understand the physiopathology of 2 rare diseases affecting the pulmonary vasculature: pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) by mainly performing translational research.

Click on this link to view the research lines of the laboratory of Respiratory Diseases.

Pathogenesis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary (CTEPH) – Role of inflammation and angiogenesis

1. Identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms using pulmonary arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells isolated from thrombo-fibrotic pulmonary vascular material collected during pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Involvement of inflammatory markers.
2. Identification of clinical, biological and environmental factors predicting incomplete resolution of acute pulmonary embolism and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
3. Involvement of angiogenesis and inflammation in the pathobiology of CTEPH-Morphometric analysis of thrombo-fibrotic pulmonary vascular material collected during pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.
4. Animal model of CTEPH in rabbits combining repeated embolization and inhibition of fibrinolysis (telemetry).

Physiopathology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) – Role of inflammation and BMPR2 signaling pathway

1. Identification of biomarkers.
2. In vitro studies based on primary culture of pulmonary arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells isolated from patients.
3. BMPR2 silencing on primary cells using lentiviral vectors.