Single Intraperitoneal Injection of Monocrotaline as a Novel Large Animal Model of Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension in Tibet Minipigs

Objective The purpose of this study was to establish an animal model of chronic pulmonary hypertension with a single-dose intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline (MCT) in young Tibet minipigs, so as to enable both invasive and noninvasive measurements and hence facilitate future studies. Methods Twenty-four minipigs (8-week-old) were randomized to receive single-dose injection of 12.0 mg/kg MCT (MCT group, n = 12) or placebo (control group, n = 12 each). On day 42, all animals were evaluated for pulmonary hypertension with conventional transthoracic echocardiography, right heart catheterization (RHC), and pathological changes. Findings of these studies were compared between the two groups. Results At echocardiography, the MCT group showed significantly higher pulmonary arterial mean pressure (PAMP) compared with the controls (P